


Casting Shadows

by AltruisticSkittles



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Blood and Gore, Body Horror, Gen, Mind Control, No romance unless you wanna see it, Self-Doubt, Self-Esteem Issues, So it can be read platonically or romantically, Suspense, disturbing imagery, more will be added as I complete future chapters, trigger warnings include
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-06-17 15:54:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 33,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15464898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AltruisticSkittles/pseuds/AltruisticSkittles
Summary: With Thomas's busy life overshadowing Roman's need to create, Roman dives deep into his Imagination to feel important again. He wished they'd see how underappreciated he felt. All he asked for was a little love. Was that too much to ask?Apparently so, as Roman's worst nightmare makes his dreams come true. Roman should be more careful what he wishes for.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Surprise, I started another novella! It's been a while since I've shared my writing with y'all, hasn't it? It's been even longer since I wrote a Roman centric story.
> 
> I guess you could call this a thriller/adventure type story. It's along the lines of Think No Evil if you've read that one from me, so it's not too gruesome. However, if you're not okay with body horror or disturbing imagery, this probably isn't going to be the story for you (especially in chapter 3). But, if you enjoy people realizing what they want might not be what they need, you're gonna have a good time.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy~
> 
> \--  
> Chapter warnings: mild violence (mostly in the beginning), blood mention, and that's pretty much it  
> Word count: 4,109

With one final swing, Roman severed the head from the dragon’s neck. The beast reared back, staggered, then crumbled into the grass. Its dark scales disintegrated into ash, and the debris in his sweat showcased the only remaining clue to Roman’s victory. Roman rubbed his hand over his forehead and smeared grime over his glistening skin.

The town once plagued by the devilish dragon erupted into cheers. Some sang his praises. Others lifted him up into the air. Roman couldn’t imagine a greater victory. He waited for the townspeople to put him down before turning and addressing them.

“People of Imagination,” Roman began, “today is a day that will always be remembered. No longer will we be tormented by the foul beast that was the great dragon! Once again, we are free!”

The crowd cheered him on again. Roman preened at their praise and slid his sword into its home. He took a deep breath of air and followed a few townspeople into the main streets. Civilians threw flower petals out of their windows, showering Roman with floral praise as he walked by. He basked in their light and bloomed at their compliments.

The castle before him felt more like his home than the Mindscape at times. He scaled its familiar stone stairs and strolled down the marble hallways filled with the echoes of his victory. His throne greeted him like an old friend. He sat on the crimson cushion and sunk into its feather soft embrace.

Servants brought fresh water and fruit for him to dine on. The water cooled his heated throat and froze him from the inside out. The apple’s crunch soothed his nerves, and its juice tingled upon his tongue. He leaned back in his chair and sighed.

What more could he want?

It definitely was a respite from the constant badgering he got at home lately. Since Thomas was moving from one town to another, he spent most of his time preparing his things and scouting for places to live. Logan cut Roman’s daydreaming time in half as Thomas listened to him more, checking finances and making sure they followed a strict list to keep things from being forgotten or left behind. Virgil shot down every idea he had. This caused videos to be delayed and Thomas to read too many comments about him slacking off as the Fanders grew restless, feeding right into Virgil’s own anxiety. Patton had Thomas in a sick frenzy over the friends they were leaving behind and used all his time to treasure the little things he’d miss about their home. This all left Roman alone and forgotten in the commons.

The apple turned sour in his mouth.

Only in the Imagination could Roman find joy. Here, he was the most important person in the land. He was the savior of people, the slayer of dragons, and the only one they depended on to keep their life in order. Here, he was needed.  Here, he didn’t have to worry about letting people down. Here, he could be anything he wanted, and no one could tell him otherwise.

He wished he could stay here forever.

Roman sighed. He discarded the apple’s core on the plate of fruit and lost his appetite with it. The water failed to relieve the heat radiating from his now sick stomach.

If only the sides would appreciate him a little more. That’s all he asked.

Roman sighed and leaned back to stare at the ceiling. Perhaps he could wait out the move in the Imagination. Roman closed his eyes. Yes, that’s exactly what he’d do. Soon, they'd realize Roman was missing, then they'd see just how much they needed him. Then maybe they'd appreciate him more.

“Sir, is there anything else you need?” a young woman asked as she approached him. Her face held a bright smile, a smile only for Roman, and she batted her dark eyelashes.

“No,” he answered and gave as genuine of a smile as he could muster. “You’ve done enough for me. Thank you.”

The woman took the trays containing the leftover fruit and water, and she gave a simple “as you wish” before walking down the hall. Roman watched her disappear into the shadow of the next room. Strange, he didn’t remember hiring any new servants in the palace recently. Roman brushed it off. People appeared in the Imagination on their own all the time, and Roman never worried about it before.

Roman stood and stretched. The ache of today’s battle stiffened his shoulders. Perhaps a walk through his garden would calm his nerves and mind.

Stone walls turned into a forest of green leaves. A gentle breeze meshed therapeutic scents together, from the sweet smell of a honeysuckle to the faint must of a sturdy tree. Colors of the rainbow lined the bushes. Roman paused to pick a red rose from its home, and his fingers avoided the thorns threatening to pierce his delicate fingertips. Thorns in the Imagination carried dangerous magic, and the last thing he needed was to accidentally curse himself.

Roman tried not to think of how much Patton would love to lay here and make a flower crown for him. He tried not to think of how the lavender flowers would calm Virgil’s nerves. He tried not to think about how the white gazebo in the center of the garden would be a great place for Logan to come and think. He tried not to think about wanting his family to come to his sanctuary. He tried not to disappoint himself with their harsh words as they told him he was silly for imagining they’d enjoy staying in a place like this.

Well, at least Logan and Virgil would. Patton wouldn't dare.

Roman and Patton spent many of their free hours in the Imagination together. Patton was the only one who always took Roman's ideas seriously and made them bloom. Roman cherished Patton's love and support to the moon and back. It was one reason why nothing within the Imagination could harm his cheery paternal figure. That, and Roman would never imagine harming Patton to begin with. Well… maybe he imagined rescuing a certain dadsel in distress, but nothing serious. And besides, Patton enjoyed helping Roman solve the Imagination's problems, especially if they were Roman's problems in disguise. Patton was always eager to help Roman feel better, even if he didn't know the right words to say. Patton was a light Roman could always count on to guide him.

Perhaps that's why Patton ignoring Roman recently hurt so much. The other two he expected, but he'd never been without Patton's constant care and attention before.

Roman rested on a bench. He remembered when it appeared. People in the town built it so he could enjoy the serenity of the garden. His younger self dreamed of bringing his family here. Now, his older self knew better. He knew they’d never come.

That’s just how life worked.

“You’re sad,” that woman’s voice came again. Roman jumped out of his skin. She approached so quietly, he never heard her approach.

“Fear not, beautiful maiden,” Roman replied on instinct, turning on his naturally fake facade and beaming a smile bright as an old coin. “I am merely dreaming of inviting someone to spend time with me in my garden.”

The woman shifted her feet on the cobblestone path and looked down at the ground. “Oh, I’m sorry. I did not mean-”

“You aren’t intruding.” Roman patted the bench beside him. “Why don’t you come and sit with me?”

“O-oh!” The woman played with her fingers as a blush colored her otherwise porcelain cheeks. “I couldn’t. You are the prince, and I-”

“Am worthy of my company,” Roman completed. “Please? It would be an honor to sit beside someone as beautiful as you.”

The woman nodded her head. She fanned her white dress out to her sides and took a seat beside Roman. Her gray eyes stared down at the ground, and she fiddled with a strand of long, black hair.

“My prince, what has you so upset?” she asked.

“I’m afraid I know not of what you’re talking about,” Roman replied. He watched her gray eyes study him, and his brave face flooded with guilt. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I am merely thinking of my fam- my friends from another realm.”

“Did they hurt you?”

Roman bit his lip. Yes? No. Not on purpose. Maybe?

He sighed and answered, “I’m feeling a bit underappreciated is all. I’ve come to accept in their world I am nothing more than a common annoyance.”

The girl hummed and shifted a little closer. Her delicate fingers dragged across the wooden bench, and they stopped short of touching Roman’s hand. The cold air around her fingers sent shivers through Roman’s spine.

“They should be honored to be in the presence of such a brave and noble knight. Tell me, what have they done that has you so upset?” the woman asked, her voice holding a gentle firmness like a mother encouraging her child.

Roman sighed. “There's someone who is constantly trying to upstage me. He's always pushing my ideas around. They're never good enough. He thinks he's so smart. He thinks he knows everything, but he wouldn't last a minute if the questions were about theater. Well, okay, maybe he'd know some things, but he'd never be able to remember song lyrics if it wasn't for me. And then we'd look foolish in front of millions of people and would never be able to show our faces in public again. Then he'd be sorry and realize just how much he needs my help.”

The girl flinched, and Roman looked up. Her stone eyes chilled his body, and she searched his eyes for any sight of a lie. She pulled her lips into a grimace.

“Unfortunately, people don't always see past their own arrogance,” she replied.

Roman nodded his head. Arrogant was one way to describe Logan. Stubborn, prideful, know it all Logan, who took all of Thomas's time away from him and refused to share the spotlight. Roman swore he'd upstage Logan and return to his status as the most important side there.

“Is that all?” she asked.

Roman sighed and shook his head. “There's another who I thought I was getting along with, but all he's done the past few weeks is throw everyone in an unnecessary panic. He's always so afraid over nothing. And every time I try to tell him he's holding Thomas back and being ridiculous, he says that I'm the one being ridiculous. Can you imagine the nerve? No one needs his negative feelings right now. He's killing any good thoughts I try to lighten up the mood with. I wish he'd just go away already and leave us alone. We were better off without him.”

Roman snapped his jaw shut. He didn't really just say that, did he? What was worse was he truly meant it in that moment. If Virgil was gone, Thomas would have no negative feelings to hold him back. But they talked about this, and they did need Virgil. So why-

“You’re more important than they realize, I’m sure,” she interrupted. “Just because you don’t look important doesn’t mean they could survive without you.”

“If they need me, they have a poor way of showing it. They don’t even want me around anymore,” Roman lamented.

“I’m sure they do love you, Roman. They just don’t know how wonderful you can be, and I’m sure if you showed them your world, they’d want to stay with you forever.”

Thoughts of bringing Patton to the garden enticed him once more. He could do it. He could steal Patton away to hide with him here. Then maybe Patton wouldn't be so sad. He wouldn't have to worry about Thomas or his friends. He could be free to do what he wanted. Question was, would he leave the world he loved behind to become part of Roman’s Imagination? Patton always said he supported him, but his actions recently proved otherwise.

They all faked their trust, their acceptance, and their love for him, all for the sake of saving his ego. No matter what, however, the truth always came out, no matter how bitter of a pill it was to swallow. Roman’s throat burned.

The woman stood. “I'm sorry, I seem to have upset you more. Perhaps it’s for the best if I leave you be for now. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. I wish you luck, your majesty.”

Roman said nothing as she walked out of the garden. He wanted to reach out and ask her to stay, but he stayed silent. The disgust for his situation burned in his chest. He didn’t wish this hollow pit in his stomach upon anyone. Nothing felt worse than abandonment.

The sun slowly set, leaving the colors of the sunset to paint the night with stars. Roman shivered as the night air crept over his skin. He stood from his spot, his joints begging him not to move, and stretched.

He could always stay. There was nothing waiting for him at home, so why bother going home at all?

No, if Thomas did need him, he couldn't reach him if he stayed. The Imagination was cut off from Thomas’s thinking mind. Here, Roman had total control. If Thomas needed him, he couldn’t reach him through the stretches of his Imagination, at least, not without help. And if there was one person Roman couldn’t punish in this situation, it was Thomas.

After all, it was the other's fault Thomas had no time for Roman.

With a heavy heart, Roman ducked out of his Imagination. He readied himself for bed. The other sides surely were working too hard to care about his return or too tired to come to wish him a good night. He rolled into his bed and tossed around until his body hit that sweet spot. Tired eyes drifted closed.

Tomorrow, he could face them if need be. For now, Roman wanted to pretend he still mattered enough for them to care he was gone.

His thoughts, however, knew the truth he desperately refused to believe.

~~

The morning sun peeked through his window. It set a warm ray across his cheek and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Roman sat up in his bed, stretched his arms over his head, and pretended he was ready to start the day. He swung his red silk pajama pants over the side of the bed and tucked his feet into the fuzzy golden slippers by his bedside. The clock on his dresser showed he still had time to make it to breakfast.

Roman strolled down the hall, too tired to put on his normally over cheerful facade. If they wanted happy Roman back, they’d have to earn it.

“Good morning,” he mumbled as he settled on the last stair. He noticed the absent scent of breakfast or coffee. Roman furrowed his brow. Surely someone would’ve come down and started something this late time in the day. He walked deeper into the kitchen. The coffee pot read its normal time, but no coffee sat inside the pot. The dishes from a previous meal remained in the strainer, and the fridge held no leftovers.

That was… odd. Concerning as well, but mostly odd. Were they even too busy to care for their own needs now?

“Logan?” Roman called out. He started to climb the stairs. Surely Logan would not jeopardize his health again. If he went under, so did Thomas. Roman knocked on his door. “Logan, are you awake? I need to speak with you.”

Silence answered him. Roman pressed his ear against the door. He rested his fingertips on the edge of the golden handle. He recoiled.

If something was wrong, surely Virgil would feel it and alert them all. Roman backed up. He looked over to the newest room across from Patton’s own and approached it. The door housed a cold chill, and Roman shivered.

“Virgil,” Roman called out. “Is something wrong? Do you need my help?”

He snuffed at the very idea. Of course Virgil didn’t need his help. What could creativity do but stretch Virgil’s fears into darker demons? Roman hugged his arms. He could really use a Patton pat on the back right now.

“Oh my dear sweet puffball Patton,” Roman sang and turned. “I could-”

Fear froze his feet to the floor. Patton’s door rested ajar, almost thrown off its hinges. How had he not noticed before? The flame of courage in his heart melted his feet and propelled him forward.

“Patton, what happened?” Roman asked. He stepped inside the room and heard glass crunch under his feet. Roman recoiled. He leaned down and picked up the now busted picture frame. The sides all smiled back at him, all four of them, a memorabilia from when they accepted Virgil into their life.

Roman glanced up. The room looked like a tornado came and took Patton away from Kansas. More pictures lay scattered across the floor, their memories shattered. The blanket on Patton’s bed looked as if he had a fight with his pillows and stuffed animals in the middle of the night. What really unnerved Roman were the splatters of blood across from him on the wall.

“Logan! Virgil!” Roman called out. He raced across the hall and slammed his shoulder into Virgil’s door. It opened with an eerie creak.

Roman may have only been in Virgil’s room once, but the chill that swept over him froze his heart solid. Virgil’s room lay completely still. His bed, unmade like Patton’s, was the only proof that he even existed here at all. Roman backed up.

“Logan?” Roman called out. Perhaps they were all in Logan’s room. Perhaps something happened to Patton in the middle of the night, Virgil came to investigate, and they all resided in Logan’s room as they sought out a way to rectify the problem.

So if this were true, why didn’t they alert Roman?

The creative side’s legs wobbled as he made his way to Logan’s room. The door handle refused to open under his harsh grip.  He pounded his fist on the door.

“Logan, please open up! I need to discuss something with you!”

Again, silence answered him.

Roman ran a hand through his hair. What was going on? What happened to his family? He tried Logan’s door handle again, and it still echoed that final click of a locked door. Roman’s twists turned into desperate slams of his palm.

“Logan, you open this door right now, or I’ll-”

The door swung open. Roman lost his balance and tumbled onto the floor. He gathered information on what happened and rose to his feet.

A dark shape sat in front of Logan’s computer. Was Logan really in here the whole time and ignored Roman’s cries for help? Anger boiled Roman’s blood. He stormed over to Logan’s chair.

“You better have a good excuse for ignoring me,” Roman growled. He gripped Logan’s shoulder and spun him around. “If you knew I was in such distress, why-”

Roman backed up like he’d been burned. He covered his mouth and held his breath. No, that’s impossible. It couldn’t be here. It wasn’t part of their world. How did it even get out of the Imagination and into the Mindscape?

The shadow before Roman had pasty white skin. Its dark hair and eyes mimicked the black soul in its heart. It wore Roman’s signature white uniform, only the pure white burned into a dark coal color. The once golden accents and red sash bleached their way to a too bright white. It looked like a monochrome Roman.

It was Roman’s own Nightmare.

The Nightmare smiled its overly bright grin, dulling Roman’s shock and shifting it to anger.

“Where are they?” Roman growled.

“I don’t believe I know what you’re talking about.”

“Logan! Virgil! Patton!” Roman threw his hands up into the air. “They’re gone! Don’t sit there and lie to me. I know you had something to do with this!”

“Roman, please,” it smiled and folded its fingers together. “I only did what you wanted.”

Roman’s body felt like a hot glass soaked with cold water. His confidence shattered, and a look of fear cracked the angry scowl on his face. “What… what are you talking about?”

“You told me so on the bench,” it informed and rose to its feet.

Roman cursed under his breath. He knew there was something wrong with that woman. Why hadn’t he figured it out before? He didn’t remember her because she didn’t exist. She was nothing but a shadow puppet.

The Nightmare Roman continued, “You wanted to feel appreciated, right? All I did was make that come true. Now, Thomas’s full attention will be on you and only you.”

Roman took a step back. He recalled the turmoil Thomas felt when Virgil ducked out. What was happening to him now that Logan and Patton were gone as well?

“I didn’t want this,” Roman whispered. He bit his lip. Was it really though? Wasn’t it his own selfish desire to be appreciated? Didn’t he think a few hours ago that he didn’t care what the other sides were doing?

“Of course not,” the Nightmare teased and walked to Roman’s side. Roman took a step back. The sour breath of his own worst nightmare wrinkled his nose. “All I did was set the playing field back up in your favor.”

“What are you talking about?” Roman asked, not sure if he wanted the answer at all.

“If you want someone to appreciate you, you have to make them,” the Nightmare answered. “You have to make them think of what life would be like without you. You have to make them afraid to lose you. You have to make them love you.”

Roman set his jaw. “Where are they?”

Roman’s dark shadow sighed and ran a hand through its hair. A devilish smirk set across those handsome lips, and it crossed his arms.

“If you really want them back, you’ll have to find them yourself,” it taunted. “However, since I’m feeling a bit generous, I’ll give you some clues. The first is trapped in a puzzle that only you can think your way out of. The other hangs in the pit of your darkest thoughts and fears. The last lies in the heart of your own kingdom, waiting for your loving arms to hold him forever.”

Roman grit his teeth. He pulled his sword from his belt and pointed it at the nightmare before him.

“If you’ve harmed them-”

“I haven’t done anything you didn’t imagine yourself,” it replied with a confident smirk. “This is all your doing, Roman.”

“You liar,” Roman growled. He swung his sword. His nightmare sliced in half and disintegrated into dust. The hollow echo of metal scraping the floor chilled Roman to his bones. He roped in his breathing and swallowed what little moisture parched his mouth.

He was wasting time. Roman ran back to the Imagination. His fingertips hovered over the door handle, and he swallowed. Why did he say those things? How could he ever imagine hurting the others like that? He should've been there. He should've been protecting them, but instead he threw himself a pity party and pushed their safety aside. Whatever happened to his family was his fault, and if anything happened to them-

Roman shook the pity from his mind. His family needed his help. He set his jaw and stepped into the one place he called home. It now held the air of a prison, and Roman took the role of the knight charging through the dungeons to rescue the princes trapped in a villain’s arms.

Step after step, Roman entered the maze of his own tormented mind. The once bright sky held a gray overlay, and thunder rolled across the empty fields. A breeze sent goosebumps over his skin, and Roman rubbed the rawness of his own terror away. He could do this. He could rescue his family, and he would beg for their forgiveness.

With a heavy heart, a full mind, and a gut filled with worry, Roman started out his journey. He sighed through his nose, hoping to shake the doubt. However, he knew better. This was his fault, and if he wanted to fix it, he would have to face his own fears to do so. The bitter thought rang once again in his mind, and Roman answered its call.

If anything happened to his family, Roman would never forgive himself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If this nightmare thinks it’s helping Roman, it’s out of its mind. Kidnapping Logan and putting him in a maze to make Roman appear smarter isn’t exactly a smart thing to do.
> 
> Apparently, neither is underestimating the nightmare.  
> \--  
> Chapter warnings: mild violence (though it happens off screen), blood, mild body horror  
> Word Count: 4,416

Logan collapsed on the couch after Thomas fell asleep. His head ached, and his body felt like it ran a hundred marathons in a day. Statistically, Logan knew that was impossible, but he could barely move from the spot he collapsed on the couch. He’d settle for that description for now. He even lacked the strength and willpower to pick up the book he stopped reading the other night and continue.

Perhaps he did need a break after all.

Logan loved the attention Thomas gave him. He couldn’t recall a time when he commanded this much control before. If Thomas wanted to do something, he’d consult Logan first to see if it was possible to squeeze it into their already saturated schedule. Of course, Logan usually denied his requests. The move grew closer every day, and their chances of completing all of the tasks necessary to move shrank as the hours passed by. Both he and Thomas were stretched to the extreme.

It’d been forever since he’d heard Patton laugh, listened to one of Roman’s ridiculous stories, or saw Virgil around any of the other sides. A new ache pinched his heart. Logan realized he missed the other sides, even if they were a pain in his side and a foil to his plans.

Logan took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose. The ache in his head refused to quit, just like he did. If he wasn’t careful, he’d burn himself out. He could feel the cracks already forming along his skin, and the warning Patton issued him dozens of times echoed in his mind.  

A quick glance at the kitchen clock proved night had crept up on him long ago. He sighed and contemplated sleeping on the couch. He wouldn’t get a full night’s rest on the broken springed thing, but Patton always kept a spare blanket on the back of the couch for when someone fell asleep watching the television, and there were several pillows for him to perch his head on. It would give him some form of rest.

Logan slid the blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over his chest. The scent of lavender relaxed his muscles, and the soft fuzz embraced him in a warm hug. No wonder Virgil liked sleeping on the couch so much. Everything calmed Logan to an extreme, and all his cares slipped away. Logan leaned back against the soft pillow and took a deep breath.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be as hard as he thought to fall asleep.

A loud crash shot Logan from his peace. He heard several grunts follow more crashing, and Logan’s brow rose with curiosity. Patton should be asleep by now. He hadn’t seen Virgil since the morning, and who knew where Roman was during all of this mess. Perhaps the two sides had started some video game playtime together. It was a plausible assumption to make. Virgil had such a terrible sleeping habit, especially when his thoughts were consumed like they were, and Roman was insufferable when it came to keeping a healthy schedule.

Logan sighed. If he had to sleep, so did they.

As Logan ascended the stairs, the sound of the video game grew in volume. Did they turn the sound all the way on? He heard Virgil’s voice, distinctly Virgil’s voice because it held that creepy echo whenever he was overly anxious, followed by a loud bang. The walls shook, and Logan flinched against the rail.

Everything stilled.

Logan strained his hearing. Did the game crash? Did they physically break the game?  Did they fall asleep while playing? What was going on?

His heart rate rose with every question. A strange chill haunted the top floor, which was odd in itself because cool air fell, and the living room floor held more heat than the ceiling. Logan scaled the rest of the stairs as goosebumps rose on his skin.

“Virgil? Roman?” Logan called out. He noticed Patton’s door ajar at the end of the hall as he stopped at the top of the stairs. A dark shadow cast over the nightlight.

“Patton, is that you up at this time of night?” Logan slowly approached the door. “You out of all of them I expected to be asleep already. Are you reminiscing about old times again? I-”

Logan turned the corner and stopped. His muscles refused to respond.

Roman’s usually white coat rivaled a raven’s feathers, and when he turned to look at Logan, his skin held no color, and his eyes held no light despite their glow. He grinned, his teeth unnaturally white, and wiped the dark trail of black from his nose.

What chilled Logan even more were the two bodies laying on the floor. Virgil’s head lay slumped against his chest, his body crumpled in on itself against the wall. A long streak of red followed his head down the wall to the floor. To a human, a wound like that could be fatal, but Virgil would wake with nothing more than an extreme headache. Patton, on the other hand, was sprawled out across the floor, like he tripped and refused to get up. His chest barely rose as he took a breath, and it sounded strained like his lungs held too much water.

Roman took a step toward Logan. Finally, Logan took a step back.

“Roman, I’m concerned as to what happened,” Logan whispered. The name stopped the monochromatic side from approaching further. Logan knew whatever this thing was, it merely imitated Roman. In no conceivable way would Roman purposely hurt one of the other sides.

Logan finally stepped far enough outside of Patton’s doorway to escape. The chill behind his back numbed his senses. If that thing wasn’t Roman, perhaps there was a chance the real Roman was safe in his room and able to help them.

Logan traded his usual rhythmic knock for flinging Roman’s door open. To his relief, the creative side snored in his bed, his sleeping mask on and ambient music lulling him to sleep. Logan closed the door behind him. He hated waking Roman while he was asleep, but this held the utmost importance.

“Roman,” Logan called out. He hastened to Roman’s side of the bed. His hand reached out to shake Roman’s shoulder.

Something caught him around the legs. Logan cried out as his legs yanked backward. He collapsed onto his stomach with a light grunt. He started sliding backward. Logan dug his fingers into the carpet to try and stop his body. He stole a glance behind him. Black shadows circled his legs and slid up the rest of his body. Terror gripped his chest.

“Roman!” Logan yelled. “Roman please wake up!”

He turned his attention to Roman, who lay blissfully unaware of the situation the sides faced. Was this his dream? Was Roman having a nightmare? Did it materialize itself in the physical world?

Logan struggled against the shadows, knowing it was futile to attempt an escape but daring to try anyway. The door creaked open, and the Roman copycat stood in the doorway. Its Cheshire cat grin glowed against its already porcelain skin.

“Roman!” Logan tried again.

The copycat held a finger to its lips, then mimicked Roman’s voice perfectly. It spoke, “You’ll wake the prince, and he doesn’t need to worry about the three of you right now. Leave him be where he’s truly appreciated.”

The words threw Logan’s mind into a frenzy. So this was Roman’s dream. He struggled once more against the shadows as the Roman doppelganger leaned down. The cold seeping from its body sent another round of shivers through Logan’s own.

A black dust formed in the copy’s palm. The shadow blew into it, and it scattered around Logan’s head. Logan choked on it as it blocked his ability to breathe. His thoughts grew fuzzy. Logan’s body tingled, and the edges of his vision twinkled before extinguishing into darkness.

The shining grin from the clone burned into the back of his brain.

\--

Roman couldn’t remember wanting to escape the enchanted forest as much as he did now. The normal chitter from animals deafened against the rustling of the trees. A stale wind blew. The grass crunched beneath his feet, and a heavy sense of dread choked the forest.  Usually, Roman would come here and talk to the wildlife. Now, it felt as if the whole forest feared to make a wrong move or he’d strike the creature where it stood.

He stepped out of the trees and took in a deep breath. The air may have still been thick, but at least it didn’t hold that sour smell any longer. It reminded Roman of the scent the dragon left when he vanquished it. The smell of raw defeat usually brought joy to Roman, but this time it constricted his lungs and choked him of any victory he usually treasured.

Roman froze as he exited the forest. A field of flowers usually hugged the path to the heart of the kingdom of Imagination. Its soft grass usually tickled his legs. Its colors usually brought a sense of hurry in Roman’s chest as he ran to the place where he was the most important thing of all.

Now in their place sat a long hedge wall. It rose well above Roman’s full height and stretched left and right as far as his eyes could see. Roses and thorns sprung out from the leaves’ stems, ready to stab him if he ventured too close. A narrow opening parted the bushes like the red sea, and a long path dove deep into the hedges and spit in two different directions.

Roman had encountered hedge mazes in the Imagination before, but never in a place he loved so much.

“Oh, you found it,” that haunting voice of his nightmare spoke. Roman gripped his sword and spun around. His eyes settled upon the shadow. Its feet swung against the hedge maze as it grinned down at Roman.

“What is this?” Roman asked.

“Why, it’s the answer,” it responded. Roman’s brows creased together. The grin on the nightmare’s face stretched as it continued, “Logan thinks he’s so smart, like he has the answer for everything, but he doesn’t know everything, does he? He doesn’t know you can be just as smart as he can, does he? He’s going to find out just how much he needs you.”

Roman swallowed the nerves in his throat.  He spoke, “You think I can outthink Logan in a maze?”

“I know you can.” It weightlessly hopped down from the top and stepped into the grass. Its eyes never left Roman as it continued, “But the real question is: can you find Logan before something else does?”

Roman pulled his sword from his side. “If he’s hurt-”

“Relax,” the Nightmare purred, “you still have a chance. The game just started. Be careful though. Every correct answer will show you the way to your dear Logan, but every wrong answer leads you to the carnivorous creature. Get ready, player one.”

Without explaining further, the shadow disappeared. A breeze blew Roman toward the entrance of the maze, urging him to hurry. He put his sword back in its home and stepped into the shrubs. The strong tingle of magic jostled his nerves. He walked as far as he could down the long maze path. The hedges surrounded him, towering a story above his head and shrinking him to the size of a mouse.

At the edge of the long path sat a fork in the road. Two bushes shot up, stopping Roman from taking either side. He paused and swallowed the sting in his gut.

His eyes spied a letter on the ground. Roman picked it up, and he opened its seal. The paper inside mimicked his handwriting.

_Finish me:_

_Kiss me too fiercely_  
Hold me too tight  
I need help believing  
You’re with me tonight

Roman scratched the side of his head. Was this a poem he was supposed to complete? The words felt familiar. He read them again, and he noticed his brain reading them with a certain rhythm. Wait, these were song lyrics!

Roman snuffed and rolled his eyes. How did he not see it sooner? Every thespian knew the lyrics for Wicked. This was child’s play.  He cleared his throat and eagerly sang the next few lines, “My wildest dreamings could not foresee lying beside you with you wanting me.”

The letters on the card melted away, and the words “You did it!” scribbled on the note. It looked oddly familiar. The hedge to the right withered away and revealed the next path. Roman discarded the note and walked down the thorny hedge.

Again, he came to a fork in the path, and again, a letter rested on the ground. Roman picked it up and tore it open.

_Finish me:_

_And then those ding-dong daddies started to roar_  
Whistled, stomped, and stamped on the floor  
Yelling, screaming, begging for more

Roman’s brows furrowed. Chicago was a little less known by today’s youth but still one he knew well. Were these supposed to be hard? He took in a breath and continued the song, “And we’d say, “O.K. fellas, keep your socks up. You ain’t seen nothing yet!”

Again, the words disappeared, only this time “I’m proud of you!” appeared. Roman creased his brow. He knew that handwriting. The bush opened to the left, and Roman advanced once again. He wondered if the questions would get harder as he continued in the maze. The words from his shadow echoed in his mind.

The first is trapped in a puzzle that only you can think your way out of.

Roman scoffed. Of course he could think his way out of this. These questions were beyond easy. Roman flourished whenever they went to see a musical. He made it his goal to learn every song that was conceived.  He could belt out anything from an energetic rap like “My Shot” from Hamilton to a soft ballad like “As Long As He Needs Me” from Oliver.

More and more letters appeared, each one asking more lyrics from him. And every time, Roman finished them without batting an eye. The maze started to lose its eerie charm. He could do this no problem. He’d find Logan and rescue his nerd in distress before someone could finish the reprise of “A Lovely Night” from Cinderella.

A low growl sounded to Roman’s left. He grabbed onto his sword and drew it. Loud footsteps echoed through the maze as a creature walked past him on the other side of the hedge. Roman swallowed the panic rising through his throat. The sound of wilting leaves rustled through the mase, and the creature’s footsteps left as quick as it came. What exactly was in the maze with them? Would he cross its path?

If the questions stayed like this, Roman would be able to find Logan no problem. However, a sinking stone settled into his stomach. He answered so many letters. He should have found Logan by now.

Roman stared down at the lyric note he answered prior. He’d been having so much fun, he forgot to read what appeared on the cards after he finished them. The message “Please hurry!” was scribbled down instead of the words of praise.

Roman’s heartbeat quickened. The shadow called him “player one.” Was… was Logan getting letters to answer as well? Were they questions like the ones Roman received? They had to be. This was as much a test of his intelligence as it was Logan’s own.

Roman swallowed the bile rising through his throat. He was able to hear a melody in his head when he read the words. Logan’s brain didn’t work like that. He would try to think his way out of this instead of recognizing a song. He’d answer something wrong, and that creature would close in on him faster than Roman’s feet could take him. A feeling of urgency swept through Roman’s muscles. He raced through the maze, sang each song a little faster than necessary, and hoped he wasn’t too late.

The encouraging messages on the notes had stopped appearing. Roman crumbled them each time. He was wasting too much time. He had to find Logan before whatever that creature was did.

A loud roar shook the trees, and Roman’s heart vibrated out of his chest. No. No! It found Logan! Roman drew his sword. He slashed at the rose bushes to his side. The blade recoiled like hitting steel, and he noticed a slight dent in the blade. Roman growled and darted down the trail. Hang in there, Logan!

At the end of the path sat an envelope. Roman tripped and caught his balance. His fingers scooped up the letter and tore open the seal.

_Game over._

“What!” Roman yelled. He turned the envelope over in his hands and hoped a secret message wrote itself on the back. Maybe this was a horrible joke. He patted the ground around him. His vision blurred as his throat stung. He had to miss something. He had to! He couldn’t have failed a second time.

Roman’s breath came hot and heavy. He rubbed his eyes with his hands as if pushing his weakness back into his eyes. His heartbeat pounded like footsteps in his ears. A cry of desperation cracked his throat.  Maybe if he went back the way he came he’d-

The leaves shuddered in front of him. Roman held his breath and strained his hearing. The struggling breaths of someone on the other side deafened his beating heart. He rose to his feet. It couldn’t be.

“No, not now,” a voice on the other side. A familiar voice of reason Roman desperately wanted to hear.

“Logan!” he called out.

The grass shifted on the other side. A sharp intake of breath followed before a quiet voice reached into the unknown, “Roman?”

“Yes!” Roman cried. He searched for a way across the bush. He’d have to scale it at this rate.

Logan’s sigh of relief chased Roman’s breath away. Logan called out, “Lower the wall!”

“I can’t,” Roman replied. “It’s not my doing.”

“This is the Imagination, is it not?” A distant roar answered him, and he lowered his voice. “You make the rules here. Simply wish for it to vanish.”

“You think I haven’t tried?” Roman hissed back. He ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve been answering these ridiculous letters throughout the whole maze hoping to find you because the nightmare is too strong now.”

“I’ve been answering them as well. They make no sense.”

Roman grit his teeth and stared down at the letter in his hand. He blinked.

_Read the letter._

Roman furrowed his brow. He turned the message over in his hand, but there was nothing else there. What letter? There was nothing to- an idea hit Roman. It was a long shot, but he had to try.

“Logan, is there a letter on your side?”

Logan shifted, and Roman bit his lip. Logan replied, “Yes.”

“Open it.”

“These wildly worded poems are what released that creature. You think I-”

“Just read it, please! I can still help you.”

He could visualize Logan’s eye roll. The sound of tearing paper crinkled its way through the leaves, and Logan cleared his throat.

“Finish me-”

The roar sounded again, followed by fast footsteps. Logan’s voice cracked as he retreated into the bushes. Roman’s heart screamed.

“Logan, the lyrics!”

Logan’s voice spat out, “How I felt as I fell I just can’t recall-”

Roman filled in the notes. “But his arms held me fast as it broke the fall!”

Roman watched the bush disappear. Logan fell backward and crashed into Roman’s chest. Roman staggered and caught Logan under the arms. He ignored the crack of Logan’s joints in his palms.

A black beast, with sharp horns on its head, a face resembling a bull, and a body of a giant black bear charged toward them. It bared its fangs and let out a bone chilling roar. Roman pushed Logan forward.

“Move!”

The two sides darted down the maze where Roman came from, the notes he discarded marking their way out. They took pathway after pathway. The creature’s footsteps grew closer. Roman pulled Logan to the left. A roar vibrated the whole maze.

After a sharp turn, the two saw the light of day shining at the end of the maze. The leaves stretched on forever as if the exit grew farther away with each step. Roman didn’t dare dream of looking back. The creature’s pounding footsteps left enough to the imagination. They weren’t going to make it. They were going to-

The two sides jumped through the exit. Roman pulled his sword from his belt. The creature leaped forward.  As Roman prepared himself for the blow, the exit to the hedge maze weeded over in thick thorns and trapped the creature inside. It crashed into the branches and shook a few leaves loose. Angry growls sounded on the other side, and the beast eventually lost interest and staggered away.

Roman huffed a huge sigh of relief and placed the sword back into his belt. He turned and observed Logan’s shaken appearance. The logical side’s normally kept hair soaked his forehead, and his glasses sat askew on his nose. Logan leaned in on his knees and struggled to catch his breath. Small cracks appeared in Logan’s skin, and Roman sucked in a deep breath.

“You look horrible.”

Logan cracked an eye open and growled through his nose. He stood up and swallowed hard.

“Your dream locked me in a nightmare that ridiculed my intelligence and sent me fleeing for my life, and you have the audacity to say I look horrible?”

Roman puffed out his chest and yelled back, “For your information, Don Cob-boring, I didn’t want you here in the first place!”

“Obviously,” Logan snapped. “Did you create that thing to make yourself look the part of the hero because I’m not convinced.”

“You have to be kidding me!” Roman tugged at his hair. “I risked my life to save you! A little gratitude would be nice!”

“Gratitude is earned.” Logan took a step forward.

“Oh yeah?” Roman took a step forward as well. “Well respect is too, and I lost all of that for you.”

“What did I do? I haven’t spoken to you in two weeks.”

“Exactly! Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You’ve ignored every creative request that I have shoved at you while you keep Thomas on a schedule. Do you have any idea how ignored and lonely I’ve been the past two weeks? How I’ve felt my voice doesn’t matter to anyone?!”

“For your information, I-” Logan’s ribs cracked, and he doubled over. The anger in Roman’s chest caved in, and he knelt down beside Logan. The logical side’s face twisted in pain, his eyes clenched shut as tight as his jaw. Beads of sweat traveled down his forehead and meshed with the tears in his eyes.

Roman’s hand hovered over Logan’s shoulder. How did he go from wanting to save Logan’s life to shouting at him moments later? He cursed his temper and took in calming breaths.

“Logan-”

“I do,” Logan whispered at last. He swallowed hard and opened his eyes. He continued, “I was so focused, so exhilarated to be listened to for once in my life that I forgot I’m not the only one Thomas needs to listen to. I didn’t even realize I was burning myself out until I arrived here.”

Roman chewed on his lip. He helped Logan stand on his feet and observed the cracks on Logan’s skin. Roman sucked in a deep breath. Logan and Roman, if they used up too much energy continuously, could burn themselves out. Their skin would blister and crack, and after a while, their whole body would fail to respond. He only experienced it once, but the pain was enough to bedrid him for three days.  Thankfully, Logan’s case didn’t look too severe yet, but if he had continued to think in that maze, it could’ve been a lot harder to escape.

Logan continued, “I should’ve seen it before. Thomas was absolutely miserable. I could see the enthusiasm slipping from his eyes, but I foolishly ignored it. I forgot he needs you to balance me and keep us running smoothly. He needs that creativity to give him hope. He needs a reason to drive him to be the best he can be, and that’s you.”

A bitter laugh escaped Roman’s throat. “Perhaps we both need to start keeping each other in check. You promise to give me some of Thomas’s attention when we return, and I promise to listen to you more. Sound fair?”

“Sounds implausible,” Logan snuffed through his nose, “but I’m willing to try.”

“That’s the spirit,” Roman barked out a laugh and patted Logan on the back. Logan grunted as a dull pain thundered through his chest. Roman sent an apologetic smile, and Logan brushed off Roman’s hand from his back. The maze disappeared into a thick mist before the once colorful field returned. The two sides shared a glance then strolled down the path towards the city of Imagination.

Logan straightened his back and spoke, “Before I was able to reach you in the mindscape, an ill fate befell both Patton and Virgil. Were you able to obtain them before you obtained me?”

The smile on Roman’s lips fell, and he clenched his jaw. “No, and I don’t know where they are either.”

“That’s troubling,” Logan mumbled.

Roman nodded his head in agreement. He barely avoided losing Logan, and the fight had yet to begin. If they were in the same predicament Logan was at the same time, they’d surely be- no, he was going to find them. He’d make it in time.

Roman glanced at Logan out of the corner of his eye. Logan looked worse for the wear, but at least he was alive. It was Roman’s quick wit that pulled him out of the maze. But, what if he was a step too late? What if he didn’t make it to Logan in time and that beast destroyed the voice of reason? Doubt gripped Roman’s thoughts once again. He could be as optimistic as he wanted, but in the end, that same looming question hung over his mind like a stormcloud.

Would he be able to help Virgil and Patton in time?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For years, Roman has been fighting his nightmare off. He's won each time, but without dropping in on Virgil, he's not sure if this is a battle he can win, even with Logan at his side. What if they don't make it in time? What if Roman fails him? What if he's as useless as he feels?
> 
> Roman's worst fears are about to come true.
> 
> \--  
> Chapter Warnings: mild violence, blood, mild violence, self-depreciating thoughts, imprisonment, and just general unpleasantness  
> Word Count: 6,918 (woops)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, sorry this took so long. And heck, is it long! I'm sorry about that.
> 
> Anyway, I've wasted enough of your time. I hope this makes up for it <3

Virgil tossed in his bed. He heaved a deep breath and exhaled into his pillow. A quick glance up at his clock proved it was well after midnight, and he groaned. He clutched the pillow to his chest and stared at his headboard.

How long had it been since he talked to Thomas’s friends? How long had it been since they put out a video? How long were they going to make people wait?

He knew it was coming. People were starting to lose interest, and every time Thomas read a comment that asked if he was okay, every time someone mentioned they were tired of waiting, and every time someone complained it was taking too long, Virgil’s control on his own demons slipped away. The tag was silent on his birthday. Silent! It wasn’t until a few hours in and someone mentioned it did it spark a little.

Virgil hugged the pillow closer to his chest. At this rate, they’d need to think up a miracle to keep people interested.

Roman came to Logan with ideas, but they were never enough. That was normal, but these ideas barely scraped the bottom of the creative barrel even in Virgil’s opinion. After a while, Virgil could feel Roman’s desperation through each suggestion. He may have lost his temper. He may have screamed. He may have hurt Roman, but if Roman was just going to make noise, he should leave them well enough alone anyway.

Virgil glanced at the clock again, and two in the morning blinked back at him. It’d only been 10 minutes since he last looked. He dug his fingers into his hair. Why couldn’t he just fall asleep already?

His heart rate spiked. Virgil shot up into a sitting position and started his breathing exercises. Thomas did not need an anxiety attack right now, not after Logan had him working so hard. He needed rest.

The breathing failed to help. Virgil swallowed his dry throat. That usually calmed him. If that wasn’t working, Thomas wasn’t the one who was anxious, so who-

A crash sounded across the hall. Virgil tossed his blankets to the side and opened his door. The hallway held no noise, and Virgil strained his hearing. Muffled voices seeped out of Patton’s room, and Virgil’s anxiety rose as he tiptoed to the door.

Harsh breathing whispered on the other side of the door. Did Patton have a nightmare? He rose his hand and tapped three times on the wood.

“Patton, you okay in there?” Virgil asked.

“Virgil!” Patton’s voice yelled, followed by a series of harsh coughs. It stole Virgil’s breath away. He twisted his hand on the door handle and cursed when he found it locked. How did Roman open these doors again? Virgil backed up and mirrored Roman’s stance. He aimed his foot to the left of the door handle and kicked. The door cracked but didn’t open. He tried again. This time, the wood holding the locked door splintered and gave way. It sailed open and crashed into the wall.

Virgil’s blood froze. Standing inside Patton’s room was a ghost white Roman, save for the black suit he wore. Roman’s head snapped up toward him, and those blank black eyes saw through every courageous cell Virgil had in his system.

Patton’s arm covered his mouth, and he coughed several times into it. His breathing rasped, and he swayed to the side. As the coughs subsided, he staggered backward. Virgil moved forward to catch him. Patton turned to face Virgil, and Virgil’s whole body locked up. The whites of Patton’s eyes were completely black.

“What the-” Virgil whispered, just before Patton fell to his knees then his stomach. “Patton!” He raced to Patton’s side and shook his shoulder. Patton’s whole body turned to ice in his touch.

“Relax, he’ll be okay. Roman would be upset if anything were to happen to him.”

Virgil glanced up and eyed the creature. The near perfect copy of Roman failed to imitate that confident smile Roman possessed. Instead, it cracked a toothy grin and mimicked a phantom.

Virgil stood onto his feet and hissed, “Who are you?”

Roman’s copy bowed and laughed under its breath. “How rude of me. I don’t think I introduced myself to Patton either, even if he knows who I am. I’m Roman’s worst nightmare at your service.”

“What?” Virgil narrowed his eyes. Part of him held offense to that. The other part wanted to sock this thing in the face. It took a step forward, and Virgil stiffened. “Don’t move.”

“Why?” it asked and tilted its head to the side. “How else am I going to get the rest of you into Imagination if I don’t move?”

“We’re not going anywhere, but you’re going to go back where you came from.” Virgil set his jaw. Where was Roman? How did this thing get out of the Imagination? He had half a mind to retrieve the creative side, but he didn’t want to leave Patton alone with it either.

“You’re not going to make this easy, are you?” the Nightmare asked and sighed.

Virgil snuffed and shot back, “It’s kind of my job.”

The Nightmare hummed and eyed Virgil with a grin. “I guess I’m going to have to be creative about this, aren’t I?” It took a step forward, and its attention settled on Patton.

“Don’t-”

“Don’t what, Virgil? You think you honestly have a chance against me?”

“I’m warning you. You touch him, and I’ll-”

“Oh, I insist,” it said and cracked a grin. For a moment, the two battled each other in a staring contest. The Nightmare took another step toward Patton, its hand stretched out and eyes daring Virgil to make a move.

As its fingertips hovered over Patton’s neck, Virgil lunged forward. He crashed into the creature’s chest. The two sailed backward. Virgil pinned this thing on its back. He raised a fist and struck its nose. Black ooze dripped from its wound and stained Virgil’s hand. The Nightmare bucked its hips and rolled Virgil off. It stood and picked Virgil up by the shirt.

Virgil’s eyes widened. This thing lifted him like a ragdoll. He kicked his feet out, striking its knees, shin, and leg, but the nightmare didn’t flinch. Its lips pulled into a sideways smirk, and it hummed.

“And here I thought you were supposed to be intimidating,” it taunted.

The nightmare flung Virgil forward. His head smacked off the corner of a macaroni art frame, sending the picture sailing off the wall. Virgil’s head screamed, or was that him? Black dots circled his vision, and his legs failed to support his weight as he slid down the wall. Somehow, he managed to get his hand to the back of his head. He examined the red tips. That was going to hurt in the morning.

The nightmare skipped toward him. Virgil’s heart panicked. He tried to stand, but his dizzy balance said no, and he collapsed back onto the ground. Virgil settled for resting his head against the wall and gave the nightmare one of his famous glares.

“You are as intimidating as a black kitten,” the Nightmare laughed. It supported all its weight on the balls of its feet and crouched down. It cupped its hands together, and a black dust formed in its palms. Virgil held his breath. The nightmare continued, “So, you’re the one he’s afraid is holding this Thomas person back? I don’t think you’re as strong as he thinks you are. This is going to be a piece of cake.”

The nightmare blew into its palm, sending dust everywhere. Virgil held his breath. The dust swirled around his head like a black cloud. He didn’t need to breathe. He could hold his breath until this thing left.

A fist launched into Virgil’s gut. His mouth opened on reflex and expelled all the air in his lungs. Virgil’s body reclaimed air against his will. It choked him further, and Virgil gasped for a clean breath. No matter what, the dust wouldn’t clear his lungs. His vision blurred into a starless night.

“Sweet dreams, Virgil,” the nightmare taunted.

–

“So how long has this nightmare been plaguing the imagination?” Logan asked.

Roman stared down at the stone pathway. His usually heavy and confident steps fell in rhythm with Logan’s calculated ones, and he sighed through his nose.

“It’s been here as long as I can remember,” Roman spoke. He looked straight down the path. The hazed mirage of the city of Imagination wobbled in the summer heatwaves. The uncharacteristically gray sky held no clouds, but at least the sun returned. Roman continued, “It doesn’t show up all the time, but when it does-”

“I make a grand entrance.”

Roman pulled Logan behind him and readied his sword. The Nightmare sat on the side of the road on top of a tree stump with its feet tucked away under its legs. Logan recalled the image of the Nightmare in the mindscape. It looked like an intimidating poltergeist, but here it looked like a nervous child. Its eyes didn’t glow like they had in the night, and its grin failed to reach from ear to ear.

“What do you want?” Roman growled.

“Oh, just checking in on you,” the nightmare replied. It held a hand to its chest. “I was worried about you.”

“I highly doubt that,” Logan spoke up. The Nightmare’s eyes locked onto his and sucked the confidence out of Logan’s body.

“Please,” it hissed and cracked a half grin, “Roman is the host of my home. If he dies, I die. You I could live without, but him not so much. If I had my way, you wouldn’t have made it out of the maze, but a deal is a deal.”

“I’d never let that happen,” Roman growled back. The nightmare returned its attention back to Roman, and its lips drooped into a thin line of annoyance.

“Yes, I know,” it growled. “You’d never let your family down.”

“Where are Patton and Virgil?” Roman questioned.

The smirk returned, and the nightmare rolled its eyes. “I already gave you a hint. It’s not fair if you get more.”

“I’m warning you,” Roman hissed through his teeth and took a step forward, “If you’ve hurt either of them-”

“Relax, Princey,” the Nightmare replied and rolled its eyes. “I think you’ll drop in on one of them soon enough.”

Roman sputtered at the casual nickname. That thing was not allowed to call him that! He watched the Nightmare disappear into a puff of smoke along with the tension in his shoulders. Roman placed the sword back into its home and heaved a heavy sigh.

“What exactly is its end goal?” Logan questioned.

Roman started walking down the path. “To make my life as miserable as possible. Kind of like-” Roman cut himself off, and Logan raised a brow. “Nevermind. The sooner we find Virgil and Patton, the better.”

Logan wanted to ask more questions, but the concentrated look on Roman’s face stopped every word in his throat. He sighed and returned to Roman’s side. Roman kept stealing glances over at Logan. Logan rose a brow, and every time he caught Roman’s gaze, the creative side would look away and focus on the path once again.

“Is something troubling you?”

Roman thought for a moment. “You really should have some sort of protection here.”

“Roman, I don’t know a thing about your world, let alone how to fight. What makes you-”

Roman snapped his fingers. “A bow and arrow.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s perfect! It’s good at long distances, and it takes a lot of calculating to use. You’d love it!”

Before Logan could protest further, Roman waved his hands. A long, sleek black bow formed at his fingertips. The dark blue string glistened in the sunlight. Logan opened his mouth to comment when a weight shifted upon his shoulders. He looked down and noticed a black belt running across his chest, and when he reached behind him, his fingers brushed against something soft. Logan pulled out a long black arrow with blue and purple feathers on the end.

“Roman-”

“I know, I know, no need to thank me! Though I’m not opposed to some open praise-”

“Roman,” Logan’s lip quirked into a half smile, and he watched Roman’s eyes sparkle with a certain air of egocentricity. He also saw the twinkle of self doubt and the fear of being crushed by a few simple words. Logan sighed heavily through his nose. “How do I use this?”

“Oh, it’s easy!” Roman walked over to his side and held out his hand. Logan passed an arrow, and Roman fiddled with it until the tail caught in the string. “You measure it up like this.” Roman raised the bow high, placing the tail end at the corner of his mouth. Logan watched Roman take a breath in, his eyes steady and concentrated.

Logan quirked a brow. “What exactly are you aiming for?”

“Shh! Watch and learn.” Roman exhaled and released his fingers. The arrow soared through the air and hit the tree in the center of a knot. Roman let out a triumphant hum and turned back to face Logan. “Now it’s your turn.”

Logan sighed through his nose. Roman presented the bow back to him, and Logan picked it up. He shot a glance at Roman as he grabbed another arrow at his back. Putting the arrow against the string took a little longer than Logan would’ve liked to admit, but he got it eventually. Logan drew his shoulders back.

“That’s a good way to hurt yourself,” Roman commented. Logan lowered his brow and shot a glare. Roman stood at his side. “First off, what are you aiming at?”

“The same thing you were.”

“Okay, then what you want to do is stand parallel to the tree.”

Logan quirked a brow but did as Roman said. He moved so he stood sideways, his right foot pointing out toward the tree while the other anchored behind him. Logan drew his bow once again. Roman placed a hand on Logan’s right hand, the one that gripped the bow. Logan watched Roman guide his hand behind the bow instead of gripping its side. The discomfort in his thumb disappeared, and he took a deep breath. Roman removed Logan’s left pinky from the string, leaving his middle three fingers on, and pushed Logan’s thumb and pinky together. He also slid behind Logan and bent Logan’s right elbow so it no longer hyperextended. Roman rose the tip of Logan’s left elbow and whispered in Logan’s ear.

“Now, release.”

Logan let the arrow fly, and it split Roman’s arrow. For a moment, Logan missed what happened, until Roman shook his shoulders.

“That was amazing!” Roman cheered. “Now, do it without my help.”

Logan sighed. He grabbed another arrow from his back and studied Roman. The creative side crossed his arms and urged Logan to take another shot. Logan recalled his earlier posture and fired another arrow. It hit directly left of the previous two.

Roman hummed an impressed noise. “I forgot how fast you learn. Granted, it wasn’t a perfect shot, but still, it was rather impressive for your first time.”

Logan allowed a confident grin to slide on to his face. He adjusted his glasses and took a few steps forward.

“If that’s all you’re going to teach me, perhaps we should find Virgil and Patton before something ill befalls them.”

“Of course,” Roman replied and walked beside Logan. He chattered away about how some sort of mercenary taught him how to use a bow and arrow after he confronted her about stealing from the rich. Logan noted the semblance to Robin Hood, but in this bout, Roman actually listened to the words of the mercenary and made sure his people were better taken care of. Logan never understood Roman’s Imagination, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t appreciate how Roman handled it. Roman went off on another story. Logan tried not to zone out, but his mind kept thinking about the Nightmare. What did it want? Why was it targeting the other sides? He barely stepped into the Imagination, so what could it be cross with him about?

Roman’s voice broke through his thoughts, “And wouldn’t you know it, when she had me pinned to the ground, I found a way out. So I looked her in the eye, put on my signature, grin, and said-”

The ground broke underneath him, and Roman screamed. Logan jumped back and barely missed falling in himself. Rocks tumbled down the side, and eventually, Roman’s scream ended in a soft grunt.

“Roman!” Logan called out. He waited a moment. After pacing twice outside the hole, he tried Roman’s name again.

“I’m fine,” Roman called up. Logan released all the air in his lungs and leaned over the side of the hole. Roman’s voice sounded far away, and Logan wondered how deep the hole ran.

“Can you climb out?” Logan asked. He waited for a response. “Roman, are you sure you’re alright?”

“Logan, I think I just found Virgil’s hoodie.”

Logan’s breath left him like a kick in the gut. He composed his demeanor before calling out, “Is he anywhere in sight? What do you see?”

“A lot of dark,” Roman replied with a light laugh.

“Hold on,” Logan called into the hole as he swung his legs over the side, “I’m arriving to assist you.”

“Be careful,” Roman answered.

Logan stared into the dark nothingness at the edge of his feet. Logically, he knew there was no reason for him to fear the dark. However, the unknown was something that always unnerved him. It pushed Logan to learn as much as he could and try to keep the demons at bay.

With a deep breath, Logan slid over the side of the hole. The friction of dirt and stone cut into his back, and he yelped in surprise as the ground opened up under him. Surely from this height, he’d break something when he landed. He squeezed his eyes shut. Arms caught around his midsection and slowed him. A light cry followed a pained grunt and a rather soft landing as he fell into Roman’s chest. Both laid horizontally on the ground, and

Logan’s ribs cracked. He forgot his body was still recovering from the burnout. If Roman didn’t catch him, he could’ve shattered into a million pieces.

“That’s the last time I try to catch you,” Roman choked out from under him.

“That’s the last time I fall for you,” Logan grumbled back. He paused and reconsidered his words, but the shove from Roman proved the feeling was mutual.

Logan blinked. Roman was right; it was black as pitch down here. The only light came from a lit torch over to their side, which cast long shadows across the tunnel walls. The ceiling towered two stories above their heads, but the walls barely left enough space for Logan and Roman to stand side by side.

Roman gripped the stick of fire in his hand and looked behind them. Two tunnels weaved in different directions.

“So, which way do we go?” Roman asked. Logan rubbed his chin as he stared down both paths.

“Do you think this will be another test where we have to solve riddles?” Logan asked.

A soft whisper called out to them. Roman strained his hearing, and Logan narrowed his eyes. The words “This way” beckoned them to walk forward.

“You think it’s a trick?” Logan asked.

Roman shook his head. He then shrugged and started walking forward. Logan trailed soon after and kept glancing over his shoulder.

“I don’t see anything else that says which way to go,” Roman mused. He examined the walls. One had a thick coating of slime while the other was relatively dry. He followed the slimier path, using some sort of logic Logan didn’t understand, and mentioned something about creepier paths always leading to their goal.

Logan checked over his shoulder every so often. Goosebumps rose on his neck. Despite nothing being there, the sensation of being watched followed. Roman pressed forward, seemingly unaware of the dangers behind them. At least, if he was aware of it, he did a good job covering up his discomfort.

The path split off into two directions once again. Logan watched the once clear slime turn dark in pigment, and thin trails strung from the ceiling. Roman muttered something under his breath.

Rocks shift behind Logan, and he turned. Nothing showed. Logan’s heart beat faster, and the blood in his ears played with his balance. Surely if he reminded himself there was nothing to be afraid of, the thought would take over, right?

“Roman, did you hear-” he spoke, but when he turned, the creative side already disappeared down the tunnel. Logan’s mouth ran dry. He hastened after the light fading around the corner.

There was nothing to be afraid of.

Logan watched as the walls became coated in more and more slime. Dark trails oozed down the walls. Some slung across the walls like oozing vines, and every once and a while, a drop of slime would fall on the fire and cause it to teeter dangerously to death. Logan swallowed air.

There was nothing to be afraid of.

An eerie feeling of familiarity gripped Logan’s heart. He knew he never stepped foot in this cavern before. However, the sights before him whispered evil thoughts into his mind. Every muscle screamed for him to retreat. Still, he followed Roman into the dark rocky jungle before them.

There was nothing to be afraid of.

The path split again, and Logan picked up the faint sounds of something breathing. Its breath rose every hair on Logan’s skin.

“Roman,” he spoke. He grabbed onto the creative side’s shoulder, which was eerily cold, and tried to turn Roman to look at him, but Roman kept walking. Roman’s eyes remained entranced with the path before him. “Roman!”

Roman’s hum of acknowledgment stilled his nerves for a moment. Logan flinched as a bead of slime plopped onto his cheek, and he rubbed it away. The cold bite of its temperature soaked into his bones.

Logan continued, “I believe something is following us.”

“You don’t say,” Roman mumbled back. Logan stiffened as Roman’s indifferent voice shrugged him off.

“Is there something you’re not disclosing to me?” Logan asked. He thought for a moment. “Your Nightmare mentioned it already gave you a clue. What possibly could it have said to lead us here?”

Roman inhaled through his nose and released it in a shaky breath. “The nightmare used a riddle when we first met in the imagination. It said one of you hangs in the pit of… someone’s worst fears.” He gripped Virgil’s hoodie tighter in his hand.

Logan pieced the puzzle together and nodded.

“So we’re in Virgil’s worst fears,” Logan hummed. “That narrows it down.”

Roman grew quiet, and Logan’s skin grew goosebumps. Roman stopped dead in his tracks, causing Logan to run into him. Logan opened his mouth to ask what happened, but he caught sight of the path before them. Well, “path.” The ground was coated in a deep pool of black slime. Roman unsheathed his sword and poked it. The slime sucked onto the blade, and Roman struggled to pull it free.

“We can’t cross this,” Roman spoke aloud. He rubbed his chin and turned to face Logan. “I’m sure Virgil is on the other side, but how do we get to him?”

“Perhaps we should retrace our steps?” Logan offered. He looked behind them. “I mean, you said taking the more dangerous path often lead to success, but what if that’s what your nightmare wants us to believe?”

A voice called Logan’s name, but it didn’t sound like Roman. It sounded strangely like Patton. Logan turned, hoping to see Patton somewhere behind them, and his blood solidified.

The black slime had risen from the pit and constricted Roman’s throat. It tugged him back into the swamp. Roman coughed and sputtered as he tried to pull it off. Logan lunged forward and pulled Roman’s sword from its scabbard. With a swing, he severed the slime’s trail.

The slime screamed as green ooze dripped from its wound. It collapsed into a puddle, and Roman struggled to pull the remnants from his neck. Logan assisted, and soon Roman was able to take a deep breath.

“Thanks,” Roman panted. He turned and looked behind them. The slime receded and slithered away, revealing a dark pathway that dipped down another few feet. The walls opened up and released the claustrophobic pressure from Logan’s lungs. Roman laughed nervously, “Well, we wanted a path, and we got one. Ask and you will receive.”

“I worry about your line of logic sometimes,” Logan grumbled.

“That’s why I have you,” Roman answered and patted Logan on the shoulder. He walked down the now clear path, and Logan trailed close behind him. The breathing, now harsh and pained, echoed down the tunnel. Was that the slime? Was it Virgil? Was it Patton? His eyebrows creased as he thought of the moments earlier. Had Roman heard Patton’s voice as well, or was Logan imagining it? He opened his mouth to ask.

“Oh my stars,” Roman whispered. He stopped in his track again, but this time, Logan froze as well.

“Virgil,” Logan whispered. From their position, they could barely make out the dark shape hanging from the ceiling. Virgil’s whole body trembled. His legs shook as his toes ghosted over the ground, so close to taking the weight literally off his shoulders. The pained and rapid breathing indeed came from his lips. His teeth were pulled in a tight grit, and sweat (hopefully sweat) glistened on his cheeks. A dark cloth covered his eyes.

“Virgil!” Roman yelled.

Virgil sucked in a breath. He tried to curl in on himself, but the bands around his arms stopped him.

Roman and Logan both ran to him. They stopped inches from him, and from here, they could hear soft whispers coming from his lips.

“Just stop it. Leave me alone. Please, just leave me alone.”

Roman’s heart cracked. He reached up and cupped Virgil’s cheeks in his hands. Virgil’s body jolted.

“Hey,” Roman whispered and stroked the water from Virgil’s cheeks. “It’s okay, Virgil. Logan and I are going to get you out of here.”

A sarcastic laugh hissed from Virgil’s lips. He slightly shook his head and chewed on his lip. Dried blood coated his chin, and his teeth opened a wound that had started to heal.

“No you’re not,” Virgil whispered.

“Yes, we are,” Roman replied. Roman stepped back. He pulled his sword out and examined the thick straps around Virgil’s wrist. He couldn’t reach them, and if his sword missed, he’d end up cutting Virgil instead. “Just hang in there.”

“You’re not funny,” Virgil grumbled.

“Wasn’t trying to be,” Roman replied. He hastened around Virgil’s side. Perhaps there was a way to release him from behind. The dark bands around Virgil’s wrists were seamless, and Roman hissed a curse under his breath.

“There has to be another way,” Logan mumbled. His eyes searched the room for any sort of way to release the binds from the ceiling.

“You’re wasting your time,” Virgil grumbled. “I’m not falling for it.”

“You’re not falling at all,” Logan retorted. “That’s the problem.”

“God, just leave me alone,” Virgil’s voice cracked.

“Virgil, why would you want us to leave you? We came all the way here just to get you back,” Logan asked.

“Because you’re not real.”

Roman exchanged expressions with Logan, and he bit his lip. He spoke up, “Virgil, it’s us-”

“I said I’m not falling for it!” Virgil snapped. “You can try to convince me all you want, but every time it’s the same. I’m not stupid.”

“Of course not,” Logan responded. “I have no idea what occurred while you were in the Imagination, but I assure you, Virgil, you are not hallucinating us.”

Roman noticed the knot on the blindfold. He held the torch out. “Logan, hold the light.” Logan retrieved the torch from Roman’s grasp, and Roman stood on the tips of his toes to unravel the too tight knot. Virgil pulled his head away. Roman yanked it back by the straps of the blindfold, earning a surprised cry.

Virgil growled. “Look, leave me here to die for all I care. Just stop toying with me. Just stop. I know you’re not real, so stop pretending you’re-”

The blindfold fell from Virgil’s eyes, and he blinked as the firelight burned into his vision. His jaw went from clenched to slack as Logan’s face appeared in his line of sight. His eyes watered.

“Logan,” Virgil’s breathed. Logan offered a quirk of a smile.

“Told you,” Roman said. Virgil tried his best to look behind him, but his arms stopped him. Roman continued, “Logan, can you support his weight? I’m going to try and find a rock or something to stand on and cut him loose.”

Logan nodded his head. He put his hands around Virgil’s waist and lifted him up ever so slightly. Virgil’s arms numbed long ago, but his shoulders appreciated the support. He allowed his neck to drop his chin to his chest.

“I can’t believe it,” Virgil mumbled. “How did you find me?”

“Roman’s instinct, mostly,” Logan responded. He watched as Roman tried to roll a rather large rock over to the clearing. “I wasn’t sure we’d find you at all, but he never gave up hope.”

“Too stubborn to quit.”

Logan nodded his head in agreement. “Now, if I may ask, what made you think Roman and myself were hallucinations?”

Virgil swallowed. He looked over Logan’s shoulder and took a shuddering breath. Logan checked behind him to make sure no danger followed. He turned his attention back to Virgil, who had a rather glazed look in his eye.

“Something kept pretending to be you, Roman, and Patton. They kept telling me how much you all hated me. How they were right about me all along. How you all didn’t need me, and you only kept me around to be polite. And the scary part was, I started to believe them. I thought, maybe they were right, and I am nothing.”

Logan would’ve wiped the tear from Virgil’s cheek if he wasn’t holding him.

Virgil continued, “I’m just glad it wasn’t real.”

“Surely you don’t still think those things about yourself. You are an important part of Thomas’s personality,” Logan spoke, “Even… even if Roman and I believe we’re the most important sides there. You are just as beneficial to have around. And Roman should really remind you of that.”

Virgil snorted through his nose, and Logan cracked a short smile.

A loud plop sounded behind Virgil along with Roman’s triumphant “hah.” He huffed a sigh before climbing onto the bolder and drawing his sword.

“Hold him still,” Roman demanded. He grabbed onto the rope and recoiled. The rope was not rope at all, but a sticky slime. Roman pulled his sword over his shoulder, and with one swing, he severed it. Green ooze poured from the wound, and a loud shriek cut through the cave. Virgil collapsed into Logan’s arms, who staggered but supported both their weight nonetheless. His arms cracked from the pressure, and Logan let out a light hiss. If he wasn’t careful, he’d break. Virgil eyed him in worry and opened his mouth to ask what happened.

“What was that?” Roman mumbled.

“I’m unsure,” Logan pulled the remains of the slime from Virgil’s wrists, “but I have a feeling we’re about to find out.”

“Virgil-” The anxious side turned as Roman mentioned his name. Roman extended his hoodie and continued, “I believe this is yours.”

“Thanks,” Virgil mumbled. He slipped the familiar fuzz over his shoulders and heaved a sigh of relief. “We should get out of here before anything happens.”

“Can you walk?” Roman asked.

Virgil nodded his head, and Roman lead the way through the caverns. Logan kept by Virgil’s side and made sure Virgil could keep up. The cave chilled, and a breeze tried to push them backward. Roman prayed it wouldn’t extinguish the torch.

Hopefully, they could figure out how to escape the cave. They could return to the surface. They could find Patton and end this nightmare once and for all. They could-

“Roman!” Virgil shouted.

Roman stopped dead in his tracks but not by choice. He looked down as the thick black substance from before swelled from the floor. He tried to lift his leg, but he found it very much stuck.

“No,” he whispered. He turned behind him, and he noticed Logan and Virgil in a similar situation. He drew his sword. A black tendril shot from the floor and grabbed onto it. He had a brief tug of war with the slime before it won and sucked his sword into the sludge.

“Now, now, I’m tired of you severing my plans.”

Roman watched the slime rise in front of him. It formed the shape of a human- no of him- only he was black as a shadow. The slime grinned and advanced toward him.

“Well, well, look what I caught,” it sneered. It reached a hand forward to give a patronizing pat to Roman’s cheek, and Roman drew his head back. He snapped his teeth to bite. The slime pulled its “fingers” away just in time and laughed. “Feisty, aren’t you?”

“Let us go,” Roman hissed, “or I’ll-”

“You’ll what?” The slime taunted. It gave a huff of a laugh. “You don’t have your sword. You can’t even move to touch me.”

Roman looked down at the slime, which now coated his knees. He turned his attention back to the slime copy of himself, but it vanished. He whipped his head around and nearly lost his balance. The slime appeared behind Logan and Virgil. It rose its hands, and the slime climbed their bodies faster.

“Stop it!” Roman snapped. “Leave them alone!”

“Why?” it asked and tilted his head.

“I’m warning you-”

“Oh, are you? And what are you going to do if I don’t?”

The slime copy slid across the surface of the black pool. It stood inches from Roman’s face. Roman stared into its eyes, dark as the night, and sent a fierce glare its way. The nightmare snapped its head back and laughed.

Roman strained his neck to look around it. The slime covered Logan and Virgil’s waists, and it quickly climbed up their chests. He caught Virgil’s frightened gaze, and he could see Logan’s mind running out of ideas to save them both.

“You’re useless after all.”

Roman’s head snapped back to stare at the slime’s sharp canines.

“Roman, don’t listen to it!” Virgil yelled. The slime around his body slithered up to his shoulders and started to pull him down. He struggled to keep standing.

The slime continued, “You can’t save them, Roman. That’s what you’re afraid of, isn’t it? You’re afraid you’ll let them down. You’re afraid you’re not enough for them. Logan can think up solutions to help Thomas. Virgil is literally made to keep Thomas safe, and Patton’s optimism has gotten Thomas through some of his darkest days.”

The slime copy circled around Roman’s back. It whispered in his ear, “And what do you do? All you do is pretend to be someone you’re not. You’re not a prince. You’re not a knight. You’re not even worthy enough to be a main side. You’re nothing.”

Roman flinched. It was right. The other sides had a purpose, but what could he do? He really was just along for the ride. He didn’t even care if the slime swallowed him whole at this point. They didn’t need him anyway. Maybe if he sacrificed himself, the slime would leave the others alone. That’s what heroes did, didn’t they? When they wanted to prove themselves, they died to protect others.

Maybe Roman should do the same. Maybe then he’d stop pretending and actually be something.

A low whoosh shot by Roman’s ear, and the slime screamed. It snapped Roman from his trance. His head jerked up.

Logan stood with his bow in hand, chest heaving, and reached for another arrow at his back. The slime copy hissed and moved out from behind Roman. Logan’s arms shook as he readied and fired another arrow. It lodged itself into the slime’s heart. Green slime slithered down its chest. The slime continued to advance. Its fingers extended into claws. Logan fired another, and this time it went straight through its head. Green slime splattered onto Logan’s face. The slime shrieked and staggered backward. It collapsed onto the slime’s surface.

The sludge covering the floor retreated. Virgil wobbled as it released his chest, and he turned his attention over to Logan. The logical side glared down at the dying monster before him. His eyes held no light, and his lips curled up into a deep frown. The slime copy disintegrated, leaving the three arrows floating on the surface.

Eventually, the pool absorbed into the ground completely as it had before. Roman fell to his hands and knees, and Logan and Virgil ran to his side.

“Are you uninjured?” Logan asked. He put a hand to Roman’s shoulder, but Roman flinched back.

“I’m fine,” he growled. He stood onto shaky legs and stumbled over to his sword. Roman mimicked the motions of picking it up and putting it back into its scabbard.

“No, you’re not,” Virgil snuffed.

“I said I’m fine,” Roman snapped. His shoulders shook.

Virgil sighed and walked over to him. He put a comforting hand to Roman’s back, and Roman flinched. He covered his mouth as he released a broken sob.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Virgil reassured. “Look, I’m not as good as Patton with this whole comforting thing, but I know what it’s like. That thing tormented me for hours. It’s… you know what an intrusive thought is? Well, that was like, the physical manifestation of it. None of what it said was true. It just plays into your worst fears and makes you believe them.”

“I know what it is,” Roman remarked. He sighed. “I’ve run into it before, but-” his voice held a watery edge- “it’s right. This whole time, you all never needed me. All I did was get in the way.”

“That’s not true,” Virgil replied. “Roman, even if I do think you are over the top, annoying, and kind of dumb sometimes, you’re so much more than you think you are. Your ideas are ridiculous, but they give Thomas something to dream about. They lift his spirits when he’s feeling… well anxious. They take him away from reality and make him feel important. They give him hope.”

“Just look at what you accomplished,” Logan chimed in. “If it wasn’t for you continuing down the path, even when I told us to turn around, Virgil would still be down here being tortured by that thing.”

“I guess you could say-” Virgil mumbled something.

“Come again?” Roman asked. He was sure he heard-

“-you’re my hero.”

“I knew it!” Roman snapped back into his normal bravado. “I knew you thought highly of me! This whole time you were merely pretending, but you need me. Well, fear not Virgil, for I do not intend on letting you down again. Now, let’s go rescue our dear sweet puffball Patton and leave this nightmare behind us once and for all.”

A side smile pulled at Virgil’s lips. “Yeah, sounds like a plan.”

The three made their way down the cave toward the exit. Logan caught Virgil’s gaze out of the corner of his eye.

“He’s never going to let me forget I said that, is he?” Virgil grumbled.

“Most likely not.”

Virgil groaned. “I was afraid you’d say that.”

“Virgil,” Logan asked, and the mentioned side hummed in response, “did you happen to hear Patton’s voice earlier.”

Virgil snuffed, “Well yeah, back when I was tied up-”

“No, I mean when Roman was being threatened.”

Virgil swallowed and nodded his head. “Yeah, he kept telling me to say something to him and make him feel important.”

Logan hummed. “Fascinating, because I heard exactly where to fire my arrows to… incapacitate the monster.”

“You think… you think that was the real Patton?”

“I don’t know.” Logan sighed, “but it’s not the first time I heard his disembodied voice, and that worries me.”

The path opened up, and the trio soon found themselves exiting the mouth of a cave. How they got there was a mystery, but they were out and finally leaving that nightmare behind them.

Roman shielded his face from the sunlight. The kingdom of Imagination shimmered in the horizon. If they hurried, they could make it before nightfall. Roman lead them down the pathway. He kept his head held high, and slowly but surely, his confidence returned.

The last part of the nightmare’s riddle echoed in his mind. Patton was waiting for him. Patton was counting on him to save him, and he was ready to give up in that cave. It wasn’t just Patton he was letting down, but Logan and Virgil as well. He couldn’t give up. There was too much at stake. One way or another, he’d be the hero he always bragged he was.

He got them into this mess, and he was going to get them out if it was the last thing he did.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s easy. All Roman has to do is get Patton back, and he has home advantage. At least, he thought so, until he walked into his throne room with someone who could easily dethrone every good thing Roman thinks about himself.  
> \--  
> Chapter Warnings: self depreciating thoughts... I think that’s it besides just general angst  
> Word Count: 5016

A tear fell onto the glass as Patton stared down at the picture in his hands. It was the first time Thomas was in a play. Thomas’s bright smile, prince costume, and heroic posture stared back. It was the first time Roman came into their lives.

Patton looked at another set of pictures from another play. These pictures held more painful memories than good, and he put the pile away. Another pile contained Thomas’s friends after a successful show took place, and Patton smiled as he stared down at their faces.

He was going to miss them all so much.

A new set of pictures filled his hands. They all included Joan and Talyn, Thomas’s other two musketeers, and he thanked every deity he knew they were coming with. Joan and Talyn were Thomas’s whole world. Without them, he didn’t know if Thomas would survive. Well, perhaps that was a bit dramatic, but he’d definitely miss them both.

Patton’s stomach grew sick, and he curled in on himself. How long had he been here staring at pictures? How long was this going to last? He missed his friends. He missed the other sides. He missed being loved.

The others surely would be there for him. Patton knew they wanted him to hide his emotions less, but with how busy Logan and Virgil were, he knew they wouldn’t need “feelings” right now. And Roman- Patton sucked in a breath. Roman probably would take care of him, but Roman would also take him to the Imagination to feel better, and Patton couldn’t handle going on an adventure and being fake with fake people right now.

Patton didn’t want make believe. Patton just wanted to know everything was going to be okay.

The sun had already set outside, and Patton wiped his eyes with his last tissue. He’d have to venture down to the closet to get more, but that would involve going to the living room, where Logan was surely working. He didn’t need Patton crying all over his work. And who knew where Virgil was. He was already an anxious mess, and all Patton would do was make it worse.

Eventually, Patton decided to get into his pajamas (the ones with cute sleepy cats on them he saved for when he felt extra horrible) and nestled himself in a bed full of stuffed animals and pillows. The soft fuzz soothed his skin. He clung to as many as he could and buried his face into the feather soft pillows.

Maybe tomorrow he’d gather the strength to see his family again.

Patton’s eyes closed themselves, too tired to stay awake any longer, and he sighed. His mind was too tired to dream. His body was too tired to force it to sleep. He was too tired to care.

Eventually, though, sleep found him, at least for a little while.

Patton woke in the middle of the night and wrapped his blankets over his shoulder. Logan must’ve turned the air conditioning on higher. He hoped Logan wasn’t burning himself out. He didn’t want to nurse another one of the sides back to health when he had nothing to give.

Footsteps squished on Patton’s carpet. He furrowed his brow. Did one of the other sides come to check on him? He pulled the blanket over his head. They couldn’t see him with red eyes, unkempt hair, and in his cat pajamas. They’d start asking questions, and Patton would surely break.

The blankets lifted off his shoulder, but Patton grabbed it and pulled it back. He curled in on himself.

“Why, my darling Patton, what’s the matter?”

Roman pressed his face into the pillow. Of course, it was Roman.

“Oh, you know, kiddo, I’m just trying to sleep is all,” Patton deflected. Maybe Roman would take the hint and leave him alone.

The bed dipped down. Patton was afraid it wouldn’t work. Fingers as cold as snow brushed Patton’s forehead, and he shivered. Why were Roman’s hands so cold?

“You’re upset,” Roman remarked.

Patton drew a deep breath through his nose. “I’ll be okay. Just had a nightmare is all.”

The air behind him swallowed into silence, and Patton swallowed. He hated lying. The hand left his forehead, but Patton’s skin still held the ghost if its chill.

“So did I,” Roman mumbled.

Patton’s paternal instincts kicked in. He pushed the blankets off his head. He opened his mouth to ask what happened, but his words caught in his throat.

This Roman copied his Roman. This Roman grinned down at him, his teeth sharp as canines, and tilted his head to the side. Patton’s eyes widened. He knew who this was, but how did Roman’s Nightmare escape the Imagination? Did Roman know? Was Roman hurt? Patton’s heart pounded in his chest.

“RO-”

Roman’s nightmare covered Patton’s mouth and held a finger to his lips. Patton thrashed in his blankets. He squeezed the copy’s wrist and struggled to push it off. Eventually, he wiggled enough to free his mouth. Patton bit. The copy drew its fingers back with a cry of pain, and Patton plowed through pillows and stuffed animals to escape. He tumbled off his bed, scrambled to hide against the side of it, and struggled to catch his breath.

“Feisty, aren’t you?” the copy hissed. Its voice sounded so wrong against Patton’s ears, like an echo in a meadow.

Patton spied his door. Would he make it before that thing caught him? He risked trying. Patton pushed off the bedside and crashed into the wood. The door refused to open as he jiggled the handle, and a dark shadow coated the lock.

“Where are you going? I just want to talk,” the nightmare cooed. It started walking toward him. Patton pressed his back up against the wood. He pushed his head back as far as it would go, and the copy held a mockingly empathetic smile.

“What do you want?” Patton asked.

“Why, you, my dear darling puffball Patton.” The nickname made Patton’s skin crawl. The nightmare’s hand brushed Patton’s cheek. “You’ve been crying.”

Patton pushed its hand away. He shoved the copy back. It staggered and caught its balance, a look of shock crossing its face. Its shock melted into annoyance. As it came closer, Patton ducked under its arm. He picked up pillows and began firing. The copy kept deflecting, and Patton kept throwing. His fingers grabbed onto his bed sheet, all out of ammunition, and he swallowed his dry throat.

“Are you finished?” it asked in a rather bored tone. It started walking toward him again. Patton squeaked and flipped over to the other side of the bed. The copy reached out for him, but it grabbed air. Patton’s arm caught onto his lamp cord, and it toppled over the nightstand. Both the light and Patton crashed to the floor.

“Relax, Patton, I’m trying to make the pain go away.”

“And I’m trying to make you go away!”

“Oh, you wound me. All I want is a little of your love. Is that too much to ask?” The copy leaned over the side of the bed, and Patton scurried away. He stood in the center of his room. He didn’t want to fight but if that thing came at him again, he wasn’t afraid to give it a black eye.

Three knocks sounded at the door. Patton refused to tear his gaze from the copy’s face.

“Patton, you okay in there?” Virgil’s voice asked.

Patton’s heart jumped. He turned his head for a moment. Only a moment.

“Virgil!”

A wind blew, and a black cloud of dust circled around his head. Patton’s airways caught fire. He coughed as tears came to his eyes. What was this? He cracked an eye open. Roman’s nightmare held a fine dust in its hand and a grin on its face.

His head pounded, or was that his door? His vision darkened, and the copy started walking toward him. The last thing Patton saw was its devilish grin. He coughed into his arm, and a harsh breath sounded behind him. Virgil. Virgil! Patton turned his head. He couldn’t see a thing.

“What the-”

Patton’s balance tipped, and he collapsed onto his stomach, the cool floor taking him far away from this nightmare.

–

“Are we there yet?” Virgil grumbled.

“It’s just over this hill,” Roman answered. His leg muscles ached, but he had to press on. Hopefully, within the palace walls, Patton would be waiting for them. The sunset over the mountains, and the moon rose over the trees. Eventually, it’d be too dark to find their way, but thankfully, they’d be well within the city’s safe walls before that happened.

“It should be a short travel farther,” Roman answered. He started to grow annoyed with Virgil’s impatience, but he understood it. From what Virgil told them, he blamed himself for Patton’s disappearance. Roman scoffed. Why would Virgil feel guilty when it was Roman’s fault the nightmare was strong enough to enter the Mindscape?

Logan kept playing with one of the feathers of his arrows. Roman wondered what ran through Logan’s mind. The fierceness he witnessed in the cave was uncharacteristic for the logical side. He looked and acted murderously. Heck, he did slay that slime all on his own. Had Logan ever killed anything before? Sure, he slayed in rap battles, but to take another life was a feeling Roman was numbed to, especially here.

He forgot what his younger self felt the first time it slayed a foul creature. He hadn’t slept for days. That’s when… that’s when he first met his Nightmare.

“You okay back there, Princess Meri-dull?”

Logan’s head snapped up, and he drew a breath. He snarked, “Now is not the time for name calling.”

“Just trying to lighten the mood,” Roman mumbled. He turned his attention forward. He wondered if Logan would’ve preferred magic over a physical weapon. However, one person holding magic was enough for him. Virgil’s magic was dark, and he only used in defense, but the thought of a second obnoxious sorcerer in his land brought a chill to his spine.

Logan’s hum of acknowledgment set a fire in his heart. At least Roman was trying to stay optimistic. These two kept mentioning how long Patton had suffered and kept talking about his disembodied voice. Eventually, Roman grew tired of it, and they ceased, but he heard them whispering to each other instead of including him. Once again, they left him out. Once again, Roman wasn’t good enough to include in their space. Nothing changed after all.

If he wanted to be ignored, he would’ve returned to the Mindscape.

Finally, the city of Imagination came into view. The city gates lay closed against a solid gray stone wall, closing them off from entering. Roman puffed out his chest.

“Sir Lancelot, please lower the drawbridge. I’ve returned,” Roman called out.

Logan rose a brow. “You named someone after King Arthur’s first knight?”

“Thomas was seven,” Roman shot back. He stared back up at the walls. “Sir Lancelot, can you hear me?”

His voice echoed back to him. Virgil crossed his arms, and he covered his chest.

“Well, now what?”

Roman heaved a sigh of annoyance. He snapped his fingers, and the drawbridge groaned and started to descend. It smacked against the ground, and Roman advanced over it. The other two sides shared a glance before following Roman over the wood.

“Perhaps I need to imagine more knights,” Roman mumbled. “It appears I don’t have enough to defend my castle. Certainly, I’ve had casualties over the years, but I’m sure-”

“Roman-”

“-that I always put more in place. I mean, there’s only so many people I can trust to stand at my side, and If-”

“Roman.”

“-one of them decides to grow a will of its own, like my night-”

“Roman!”

Virgil jumped, and Roman snapped his head in Logan’s direction. Logan paused, cleared his throat, and adjusted his tone.

“I am not as well versed in your imaginary land as you, but shouldn’t there be people roaming the streets?”

Roman looked around. Indeed, the whole town lay silent. No children played in the streets. No bakers baked. No one repaired homes from the Dragon’s attack. No dogs barked. No sound filled his city with life.

A chill ran up Roman’s spine. He answered, “I’m sure everyone is just tired from yesterday’s battle, and it is almost nightfall.”

The street lights cast shadows across the cobblestone path, illuminating their way to Roman’s pretend home. Throughout their journey, not a soul came to see who entered the gates. Roman rubbed the numbness from his arms. Surely someone would’ve come by now, right?

The gates to the castle unnerved him the most. They hung open, offering anyone to come into safety. Had something- or someone- threatened the castle? What would he find inside? Had the nightmare destroyed his home, his sanctuary, everything he worked so hard on for the past twenty or so years? He grit his teeth. It’d surely pay if it did.

Roman climbed the stone steps, aware of how quiet the two were behind him. Oh, how Roman dreamed of this moment. He wished he could bring the other sides to see his safe haven every day, imagining how each one would react, what they’d love, and how they’d say they wished they could come every day as well. Now, he never wanted them here again.

The front door creaked open, and firelight greeted him. The halls of his castle were just as silent and haunted as the town. He moved on instinct toward his throne room. What would he find? Would Patton even be here? Nerves pushed him farther faster.

The nightmare said Patton was in the heart of his kingdom. He had to be here.

Roman paused at the door to his throne room. Try as he might, he couldn’t bring himself to open the door. His thoughts reminded him of the state he found Logan and Virgil, and if Patton was in a similar situation, he’d never forgive himself. How foolish had he been to even think Patton didn’t love him with every fiber of his being? He proved it time and time again. Yet, there Roman had been in his garden, lamenting about how unloved he felt.

When was the last time he approached Patton to help him through the move? When was the last time he cared enough to see if Patton was okay?

Perhaps it was him who needed the adjustment in his life.

A hand squeezed his shoulder, and Roman snapped from his thoughts. He whipped his head around with a gasp, and he met studying eyes. Virgil pulled his lips back into a sad smile, echoing Roman’s fear.

“What are we waiting for?” Logan asked to his other side. “The longer we procrastinate, the longer Patton suffers.”

Roman huffed a sigh and nodded his head. He pushed on the solid oak doors, held his head high, and strutted into his throne room. Or at least, he did, until he caught a dark shape at the end of the carpet.

His nightmare sat sideways, its legs crossed over the chair’s arm. A pillow supported its back. From its fingers, a red wine glass glistened in the low light. It took a sip, and a lazy head turned to face them. A devilish smile slid across its lips.

“It’s about time you got here,” the nightmare taunted. “I was worried my little monster crushed your spirit too much.”

Roman drew his sword and growled, “Where is Patton?”

“Cutting right to the chase,” the nightmare hummed. It put its wine on the table beside it and stood. It folded its hands behind its back, and with footsteps echoing, it strolled toward the trio in a mockingly slow fashion.

Roman could feel the tension behind him. He heard Logan pull his bowstring taut, and Virgil’s defensive magic crackled in the air. It felt comforting to have a backup.

“I won’t ask again,” Roman snapped. “Where is Patton?”

The nightmare paused in its tracks and held its arms out wide, almost like he would rush and hug them. It replied, “Why, he’s right here.”

“I have eyes. I can see Patton’s nowhere in sight.”

The nightmare rolled its eyes and shook its head. “Then you’re using the wrong part to see. Can’t you feel him? He was with you all along, giving you clues and helping you through my little game. He is your key to winning, after all.”

Roman’s brows furrowed at that. He hadn’t seen Patton at all during the trials he faced. The nightmare sighed and shook its head. It strolled over to the window and gazed out upon the royal garden. Its lips pulled into a soft smile.

“I can feel him,” it spoke. “His love is everywhere, specifically in the place where this all began. You remember, right? How you sat on that bench and lamented how the other sides didn’t appreciate you, and how you asked me to make it better?”

Roman flinched. He didn’t dare turn and confirm the shock from behind him.

“I didn’t ask a thing of you,” Roman hissed.

“Didn’t you? Am I not born from your mind? Aren’t we the same person? Don’t we think the same thoughts, feel the same emotions, and do the same actions? You and I are like two sides of a coin. One cannot exist without the other. I am bound by your rules in the Imagination, as you are. Surely you know as well as I that in order for something to occur, we have to dream it. And where do dreams come from, Roman? I guarantee you I have no mind of my own.”

“That’s a lie,” Roman snapped. “I would never imagine anything like this.”

“Wouldn’t you?” The nightmare turned to catch his eye, and Roman shivered. It hummed and started to stroll toward them once again. Try as Roman might, he couldn’t bring the sword up to threaten it.

“Freeze,” Logan growled beside him. Roman heard the string of Logan’s bow pull to its full length. The nightmare complied, tilted its head, and flashed its teeth.

“You’re telling me you wouldn’t dream of beating Logan in a battle of wits?”

Roman swallowed the dryness in his throat. Of course, he would, but not like that. He wouldn’t wish Logan harm in order to feel smarter.

Would he?

The nightmare turned its attention on Virgil, and the anxious side stiffened.

It continued, “And you’re telling me, you wouldn’t jump at the chance to prove you’re brave enough to save your family from their worst fears?”

Of course, he would.

Roman’s sword lowered further. He couldn’t breathe. The thought of putting his own family in danger to save his own ego set a sour taste in his mouth. For years he thought up scenarios to make himself feel important, all at the cost of his family’s safety, but never had he imagined actually going through with it. At least, that’s what he thought.

The Nightmare sighed and shook its head.

“Honestly, Roman, do you know yourself at all?”

“That’s enough,” Virgil snapped. The nightmare turned its attention to Virgil, and its smile faltered for a moment. “Quit stalling and tell us where Patton is.”

“Why don’t you check the garden?” The nightmare asked. Its attention settled on Roman. “After all, that’s where you wanted to bring him, wasn’t it?”

Before Roman could retaliate, his nightmare sunk through the stone cracks of the floor and out of sight. Roman’s sword thunked against the stone beneath him, and he gasped like he held his breath throughout the whole conversation.

Logan lowered his bow and sighed. “Roman-”

“It’s right,” Roman panted. “I… how could I not see it before? It’s my fault you all are here. I’m the one who put you all in danger, and I- I was too proud to admit it. None of this would be happening if I didn’t-”

“Pretty sure we’re the reason you ever thought it in the first place,” Virgil grumbled.

“Indeed,” Logan added, “if we had not made you feel worthless, you would not have had to imagine such horrible things to begin with.”

Virgil glanced at Logan through the corner of his eye, and he shifted his attention back to Roman. The creative side ran a hand through his hair and blew a heavy sigh through his lips.

“I truly am sorry,” Roman whispered, “for everything.”

“Yeah?” Virgil huffed. “Well, you can save the sorrys for later. We have to find Patton.”

“Of course,” Roman nodded. He pushed past the other two sides and hastened down his corridors.

In his mind, Roman knew he’d never think up a scenario to hurt Patton. Maybe the other two, but never Patton. What had the nightmare subjected him to? What wicked deed could he possibly imagine harming Patton with?

Thoughts of Patton turned to stone and forever immortalized flashed into his mind. Roman quickened his pace. Patton trapped in thorns, struggling to break free, crying out for help that couldn’t hear him took its place. Roman bit his lip. He navigated the halls on pure instinct, his mind too focused on the horrors Patton faced. What if Patton pricked his finger on a rose’s thorn and trapped himself inside it, and only Roman’s love could save him? What if he was too late to save him? What if he was-

The doors to the garden burst open, and Roman ran down the path. His heart pounded in his chest. Despite the other two sides calling for him to slow down, Roman’s feet wouldn’t slow. He pushed himself through the garden’s maze of paths, right to the heart of it. The white gazebo beckoned for him. Roman’s heart pounded. Blood roared in his ears. He stopped at its pearly white steps and looked around.

Patton was nowhere in sight.

Roman pounded his fist on the gazebos pillar. He struggled to catch his breath. Patton could be anywhere.

“Patton!” He called out. He held his breath for a second or two. “Patton!”

The sunset and floating lights illuminated the garden like fireflies. Roman’s chest heaved. He spun around, but Patton was nowhere in sight.

Logan and Virgil eventually found him sitting on the gazebo bench, head in his hands and trying to catch his breath.

“Roman,” Logan spoke, but his mind failed to form words of comfort.

“He’s not here. It was a trick,” Roman lamented. He choked on his own breath. “I-I haven’t found him.”

“Hey,” Virgil’s voice held a soft tone to it. No doubt he was just as worried as Roman, but he reigned in his own fears to put a hand on Roman’s shoulder. Roman didn’t even have the strength to flinch away. Virgil continued, “We’re going to find him.”

“That’s rich, coming from you,” Roman scoffed. “The face of pessimism is trying to comfort me.”

“At least he’s trying,” Logan snapped. Virgil sent him a glare, one that spoke a non-verbal ‘not helping,’ and turned his attention back to Roman.

Roman sighed and folded his fingers together. He placed his chin on his knuckles and blinked his tears away.

“Think,” Virgil prodded, “where would Patton go if Patton was here?”

“He’d probably pick flowers,” Roman answered with a fond smile. He sighed. Roman had always imagined Patton nestled among the rows and rows of rainbow flowers, delicate fingers moving to weave stems together. He’d pick colors and smells that would comfort the other sides. He’d make one for each of them, and Roman would wear his with pride. He’d wear anything Patton made for him here. Roman imagined-

Wait, Roman imagined-

“That’s it!” Roman sprung up and snapped his fingers. He jumped over the two steps to the gazebos entrance and followed the floating lights above his head. They moved over the paths Roman wished to take, guiding him like a beacon. The footsteps of the other two sides joined him on his journey. Roman twisted and turned until the path lead them to the bench he loved to sit on.

There, sitting on the wooden bench, was Patton.

“Patton!” Roman called out.

Patton jumped, and his eyes flickered up to him. That warm smile, only a smile Patton could produce, greeted him. He stood from the bench and walked toward them. Roman raced forward. Patton held his arms out wide, and Roman crashed into Patton’s chest. He held Patton tighter than he ever had before. His fingers wove through Patton’s hair, careful not to damage the flower crown Patton had wove while waiting for them and sighed a shuddering breath.

Patton’s fingers dug into the fabric of Roman’s shirt. He rubbed small circles and shushed Roman in a comforting way only Patton could do.

“Hey there, kiddo,” Patton whispered into his ear.

Roman pulled Patton away and eyed him over. “It didn’t hurt you, did it?”

Patton paused. He shook his head. “The last thing I remember was darkness, then I woke up here on this bench. I didn’t see it since.”

Roman sighed in relief. Of course, it wouldn’t hurt Patton. Roman would never dream of it. Never. He kissed the top of Patton’s head and sighed.

“At least you’re safe now,” Roman spoke. He turned to the other two sides. His family was finally safe and together. The nightmare was finally over. Roman held onto Patton’s hand, determined to never let him go again, and smiled. “Let’s go home.”

“Why?”

Roman turned to the moral side, and a disappointed look crossed Patton’s face.

“What do you mean? We have to go home,” Roman reminded him.

Patton gazed down at the flowers, and a frown settled on his lips. Roman would brush it away if he could.

Patton spoke, “But it’s dark, and we really shouldn’t be in the Imagination in the dark, should we? Who knows what’ll find us. Can’t we stay here, just for the night? Thomas will be okay, won’t he?”

Roman hesitated. Thomas probably spent the day in a numb haze with all of them here. Roman wasn’t sure if Thomas was motivated to do anything today, not with Roman and Logan here. And Virgil wasn’t home to make him anxious enough to get up and start the day. And Patton wasn’t there to offer him support and comfort.

However, Patton had a point. The others had to be exhausted, and if something found them in the Imagination, they might not have the strength to defend themselves. Surely, Patton was right. Surely, they could wait until the morning to travel. After all, what was one night away from the mindscape after a whole day?

“Okay,” Roman agreed.

“Okay?” Virgil repeated. He huffed, “Roman, we need to get home.”

“Indeed. Thomas is counting on us to return and assist him through his daily functions,” Logan added.

“Not while he’s asleep,” Roman reminded. He caught Patton’s hopeful smile, and his heart melted. “One night in the mindscape won’t harm him.”

Patton sighed in relief and nodded his head. The smile returned to his lips.

“I really don’t feel safe being here with that nightmare. I’ve been tortured enough,” Virgil grumbled.

Patton opened his mouth to address Virgil, but Roman interrupted, “Then we’ll stick together. Besides, now that I have you all back, the nightmare should be weak enough for me to battle should it rear its ugly head again.”

Logan bit back the “you have the same head” comment in his throat and sighed. “Very well, but the moment the sun rises, we return home.”

“It’s settled then,” Roman announced. He put an arm around Logan and started to lead him from the garden.

Patton started to follow, but he paused when he realized Virgil stayed behind. His head tilted to the right.

“You okay there, kiddo?”

Virgil rubbed his arms and sighed. He mumbled, “I still have a really bad feeling about this place.”

“Aww, it’s okay,” Patton walked over to him. He offered his hand to hold. “I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you here. You’re safe now.”

A soft smile settled on Virgil’s lips. He took Patton’s hand and walked beside him to catch up with Logan and Roman.

Really, Roman’s garden was gorgeous. The colors, comforting lights, and calm atmosphere would be nice under different circumstances. Perhaps he’d even come here in the future if Roman let him.

As Virgil passed a water fountain, he dropped Patton’s hand in surprise. He blinked at the water. Surely, he saw wrong. Surely, it was a trick of the floating lights.

Patton slowed to a halt as Virgil’s touch left his, well out of the reflection’s reach. Virgil stared at the water as if the liquid would jump out and try to attack him again. Or worse, try to attack Patton.

“Virgil?” Patton called out. “You okay there, kiddo?”

Virgil hesitated before he answered, “Y-yeah.”

Patton creased his brow, but he didn’t ask. Virgil returned to Patton’s side and kept glancing over his shoulder at the fountain. It looked like any other fountain with cupids spitting water out from their arrows. It rose up three tiers, and the water changed into a rainbow through different colored lights. It screamed Roman.

Still, Virgil’s skin tingled. He rubbed his arms and glanced over at Patton. The moral side appeared rather unaware of Virgil inner turmoil, but Virgil knew he could sense it. Patton was being polite and respecting Virgil’s privacy.

Still, Virgil wished he had the courage to ask if Patton saw it too. Patton might still be in danger, and Virgil would rather die than risk his safety, but he didn’t know how to ask without alarming the other side. What if the nightmare was watching now, ready for Virgil to ask the wrong question? What if this was still all part of its game? Virgil swallowed hard. His mind raced. Roman would’ve known if his Nightmare was too weak to fight, right? Still, that nagging feeling, the one Virgil always hated, told him something was wrong.

Why else would Patton’s reflection have black eyes?

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With everyone safe and sound and within Roman's grasp, this nightmare should be finally over. However, Virgil still has his suspicions about Patton. It was way too easy. His gut is telling him something is wrong. Something, but he's not sure what.
> 
> Sometimes, Virgil really hates when his gut feeling is right.  
> \--  
> Chapter warnings: Mind control, non-con touching (though it's nothing sexual), death mention, food mention, this kinda turned out to be Royality but it's not really an official pairing so go wild Royality shippers-  
> Word count: 5,638

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, sorry this took so long!
> 
> If you haven't noticed, I've added a chapter to the story. I wasn't planning on this chapter going the way it did, but here we are. Now you all get a bonus chapter to suffer with hah.
> 
> Anyway, hope this makes up for how long y'all had to wait~

Patton woke in the middle of the night and sat up in bed. The moon illuminated the bedroom curtains, and he sighed through his nose. Roman’s Imagination held no clocks, and it was impossible to tell how long he’d been asleep.

The moral side looked around the room. Roman snored on the other side of the bed. Patton flashed a smile and ran a hand through Roman’s hair. The creative side’s lips twitched, and Patton slid his hand away. Roman and Virgil argued for a while about everyone sleeping in the same room, but Roman said his bed wasn’t big enough for all four of them, and the guest bedroom was a short yell away. Eventually, Virgil gave up, and both he and Logan took the bedroom at the end. That left Patton alone with Roman.

Poor attention deprived Roman, who if only had a few hours of love, none of this would’ve happened. Patton was determined to make sure that never happened again.

After sliding his feet out of bed and tiptoeing as quietly as he could across the room, Patton walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him. He took a deep breath and continued on toward the bedroom at the end of the hall. Patton hated leaving Virgil upset. After all, from what Roman said to him, Logan and Virgil had a horrible time in the imagination.

As Patton got closer, he heard voices on the other side. His hand hovered above the door handle, and he chewed on his lip.

“-was weird. I mean, I could’ve been seeing things, but I have such a bad feeling.”

“I don’t see anything wrong with him.”

“But you should’ve seen it, Logan. I swear his eyes were pure black. Like, whites and everything.”

“That’s impossible, Virgil. Such coloration is uncommon in Patton’s genetic makeup.”

“That’s what I’m saying. I don’t think that’s Patton.”

Patton backed away from the door, a deep frown settling on his face. He hugged his arms and retreated backward for a few steps, then turned on a heel and hastened back down the hall.

Virgil suspected he wasn’t real. Virgil was the overreacting feeling to keep Thomas safe, after all, so it’d make sense that he’d be suspicious of how they just found Patton unharmed and alone in a field.

Patton paused outside Roman’s door. He shook his head and continued forward.

The castle walls flickered with firelight, and Patton stared at his shadow on the other side of the wall. It looked real enough to him. As he continued on, he found himself going down more and more flights of stairs. Down, down, down to the last level he descended.

As Patton reached the last step, he paused. He caught his reflection pass by in a mirror, and he backed up. The reflection stared back at him, and Patton’s shoulders sagged. As he stared into his eyes, a dark hand came down on his shoulder, and Patton jumped.

“You scared me!” Patton yelped and clutched onto his chest.

A laugh proceeded a voice speaking, “That is my job after all.”

“Virgil saw them,” Patton reported. He looked down at the ground. “I think… I think he’s suspicious.”

The shadow grew into a full sized adult, and a deep frown set on the nightmare’s face. It stared into the mirror and squinted.

From the outside, Patton looked and acted just like himself. However, the mirror reflected the true person behind the facade. Dark black eyes, pale skin, hair the color of a crow’s feathers, and grayscale clothing.

The flower crown’s magic could only do so much, the nightmare supposed.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it,” the Nightmare answered. It started walking down the corridor, and Patton trailed on his heels. “By the morning, both Virgil and Logan will be gone anyway.”

Patton tilted his head in curiosity, but Roman’s nightmare didn’t answer. He followed the nightmare down the corridors until they came to a heavy wooden door. The nightmare pulled out a set of keys and flicked through them until it stopped at a large brass key. The door clicked open, and the Nightmare descended the last flight of stairs.

From here, a few broken sobs and exhausted cries echoed down the halls. The nightmare studied Patton’s reaction to them. Patton could always justify it by saying these people were not close to him, but it’d be a lie the other sides would easily see through. He supposed that was an unfortunate side effect to the deal he made, but he couldn’t have Patton interfering.

Inside the dark firelit corridor, several cells lined either side on the left and right. Some people inside taunted the nightmare, and others begged for release. The nightmare paid them no mind. Its attention focused on the cell at the far end.

The nightmare pulled a key from his pocket and opened the cell. The person behind it wouldn’t be escaping anytime soon, but the lock existed to keep others out instead of someone in. The nightmare’s footsteps echoed until it stopped at the bed in the cell. Multiple blankets cradled the person on top of it, and a few sheltered his body. With how damp it was down here, it was easy to catch a cold if someone’s body temperature dropped too low.

After all, it couldn’t have Patton dying before the grand finale.

“Well, looks like they didn’t see through my shadow copy after all. Guess they are as dumb as they look,” it sneered.

Patton didn’t respond.

The nightmare stroked a hair from Patton’s cold cheek. In all honesty, this side was the one the Nightmare was most interested in. Roman never had a bad word to say about Patton. Unlike the other two, he seemed to show Roman undying support. It was one reason why the Nightmare couldn’t hurt him. Roman would never dream of hurting Patton, and therefore, the Nightmare couldn’t do a thing.

“They’re going to figure it out,” a child’s voice called from a cell behind them.

The nightmare turned its head and settled upon a girl with black curls and fierce brown eyes.

“Really, I don’t think they will. See, with those flowers on top of my shadow puppet’s head, he’ll act just like Patton. They’ll never know the difference.”

“Roman will. He’s smarter than that,” the girl spat.

“Please, Roman is as aware as a rock. He’s too stupid to realize he’s played right into my trap. Nothing can save him now.”

The copy seemed to deflate at that. It turned sad eyes toward the girl and offered a sympathetic smile to her, but all she did was scowl back.

The Nightmare put its hands on its hips and stared out the only window to the outside world.

“Only a few more hours,” the nightmare continued as it turned its attention back to the girl. “Once my pet convinces Roman to stay and gives Roman a flower crown with my soul inside it, the game will be over. Then, with Roman under my control, I can do whatever I want, here in the Imagination and in the Mindscape.”

The girl on the outside let out a whimper. The nightmare studied the shadow puppet’s reaction, but this Patton didn’t even offer any kind words. It grimaced. Hopefully, Patton’s copy would be able to pull off a convincing enough Patton to end the game.

“Come, darling, we must get you back to the others before they see you’re missing. You do have a promise to keep,” the nightmare ordered. The copy nodded its head and stared down at its shoes. Both the nightmare and Patton’s copy retreated toward the dungeon doors, and it closed with a heavy finality.

The girl from the cell watched the nightmare leave and squinted her eyes. She turned her attention back to the real Patton, and her hands gripped the bars on her cell tighter.

“Don’t worry,” she spoke to herself, “Prince Roman is smart. He’ll figure out what happened and find us. He always saves the kingdom.”

Her optimism faded as the last light of the night disappeared. What if she was wrong? What if Roman really was in danger of falling for the copy’s trick? The girl growled in frustration and shook the bars. A metal clatter made her jump back with a shriek. After her heart stilled, she examined a metal spring at her feet. Had she broken the door? The girl pushed, and the bars gave way slightly to her weight. The opening was small enough for her to fit. The girl squeezed through, and with a grunt, she toppled onto the other side.

The whole dungeon held its breath.

“I… I’m out,” she marveled. She let out a triumphant breath and turned her head back to the dungeon’s door. With cheers from the other citizens of Imagination, the girl ran through the hall and to her freedom. She wasn’t sure what she could do, but she knew that Prince Roman needed help, and if he needed help, she’d gladly give it to him.

It was time they saved Roman for a change.

–

Roman awoke as the sun touched his face. He rolled over and snuggled further into his pillow. The Imagination’s sun warmed the back of his head, and he let out a sigh of content into the feathers below him.

He didn’t fall asleep in the Imagination often. Usually, he only stayed when he was injured and avoiding going home. Patton was always upset when he got hurt and fussed over him like the father hen he was. Logan would scold him for hours about the dangers of fading into existence in the Imagination. Roman knew the speech by heart. Virgil… well, Roman didn’t know what Virgil thought, but he usually showed his affection through little things like checking up on him when he was in his room too long or making sure things were put away so he wouldn’t trip and fall.

In retrospect, the sides all showed affection to Roman in one way or another. Maybe it wasn’t in the way he wanted, but it was their way. And their way was better than no way, right?

Brown eyes fluttered open. That’s what he should’ve been focusing on all along. He was so worried they didn’t care anymore that he forgot to look for the little signs. Patton still made him breakfast with a ketchup smile. Logan still brought up possible video ideas they could complete when the move was over. Virgil still watched him climb up the stairs after an argument with guilty eyes.

Love isn’t always showers of affection. It wasn’t tending to his every need, sending him flowers, or grand gestures. It wasn’t showing off his own abilities and watching them fawn over them. It wasn’t just kisses in the sunset, cuddles on cold nights, and being with each other every waking second.

Love was putting someone’s needs before your wants, and if there was one thing Roman wasn’t doing, it was putting Thomas’s well being before himself.

Thomas needed Logan to make sure everything was in order. Thomas needed Virgil to make sure he didn’t forget anything. Thomas needed Patton to make sure each and every one of his friends got their final time to say goodbye to him. The last thing Thomas needed was to dive into his own fantasies right now. There’d be time for that after the move, and if Roman had to be ignored to get through it, perhaps it was for the best.

“Rise and shine, you sleepy head! I made you breakfast,” a chipper voice chirped from behind him.

Roman furrowed his brow. He turned his head, and he caught the sun glistening off Patton’s silhouette like an angel.

Roman offered a smile and sat up on his elbows. His voice may have been heavy with sleep, but he tried to sound as grateful as he could, “Breakfast in bed? You spoil me so.”

“Aww, just wanted to egg on your ego and bake-on a smile for you,” Patton said as he lowered the plate in front of Roman. Roman noticed the two eggs were sunnyside up, and a sliver of bacon made a smile. Two pieces of toast were cut into triangles and put at the top like cat ears.

Roman watched Patton walk to the other side of the bed and sit beside him. He rose a brow, and Patton flopped back into the feather soft pillow.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Roman asked.

“Nah, I already did downstairs,” Patton replied. He rolled onto his side and propped himself up on one elbow, his head cradled in the palm of his hand.

Roman hummed. Usually, Patton waited until everyone else ate, but he assumed he was the last to wake. After all, Patton rose before the sun for some strange reason, and the other two woke at various times, depending on how late they went to sleep.

“If you’re sure,” Roman responded. He dug into his breakfast and noticed how salty it was compared to back home. Of course, Imagination food never tasted as heavenly as it did back in the Mindscape. Patton probably had no idea how to properly prepare food here. Nevertheless, it was Patton perfect, and Roman enjoyed every bite.

Still, it unnerved him how Patton stared at him while he did so. Maybe he imagined it, but Patton almost looked sad.

Roman put on a signature smile and asked, “So, have Logan and Virgil gotten up yet?”

“Hmm? Oh! Yes, they’ve both been awake for a few hours,” Patton responded.

Roman sighed. He was the last to wake as he assumed. The two of them were probably eager to go home. They did have a lot of work to do, after all. Roman caught the way Patton’s eyes gazed at the bed as if lost in thought. Roman wondered what had Patton so quiet. He put his silverware down on his plate.

“Something bothering you?” Roman asked.

Patton’s eyes perked up, and he put a sheepish smile on his face. “Oh! Well, no, not really. Well, yes, kind of. I… I have a question.”

Roman’s brows knitted together. Patton usually was never this nervous to talk to him. Whatever was on his mind must’ve been important.

“Well, ask away,” Roman replied.

“I… well I know Logan and Virgil want to go home, but would you mind if we stayed here a little longer?” Roman’s jaw dropped as Patton continued, “I mean, the both of them are so busy, and we’re just getting in the way anyway. And your Imagination is so beautiful! I want to sit in the garden and learn about every flower. I was wondering if I could stay here with you until the move is over. That way, we could keep each other company, and Thomas could focus on moving away. Then, once he’s done, we can go back together. I think it’d be fun! And then neither of us have to be lonely anymore.”

“Patton,” Roman’s voice held a gentle whisper. He searched for the right words to say. “You’re lonely?”

“Well, no, not really. I mean, yes. I mean, I haven’t spent as much time with my family as I’ve wanted to, because you’ve all been so busy, and I think it’d be nice to be here and come out of my room for a change.”

“Patton, if you were feeling bad, why didn’t you say something to me?” Roman asked.

“I wanted to yesterday, but you were tired and I didn’t want to bother you.”

“Bother me? Patton, you could never bother me.”

“I-” Patton heard Roman’s door creak, and his head perked up. Roman glanced over as well.

Virgil and Logan both stood in the doorway. Logan’s eyes watched Virgil as Virgil’s glare passed between Patton and Roman.

“Good morning,” Roman greeted and put on a smile.

“Salutations,” Logan responded. “I told Virgil it would be more polite to knock, but he insisted on opening the doors before-”

“Roman, we need to talk,” Virgil grumbled.

Roman blinked before he asked, “Is something wrong?”

“Yeah,” Virgil replied as his eyes settled on Patton. Patton shrunk into the blankets a bit under his gaze, and Roman noticed how quiet the side had become. Come to think of it, why wouldn’t Patton want to go home with the others? Did something happen while he was asleep?

“Well, then on with it,” Roman spoke.

“We’d appreciate it if you came with us,” Logan responded.

Roman tossed the blankets off his torso and slid over the side of the bed. He was just about to cross the floor when Virgil snapped out, “Alone.”

A sharp breath sounded to his right, and Roman glanced over. Patton had exited the bed as well and stood frozen in his spot. He could see Patton bite his lip and look down at the floor. Roman’s anger flared in his gut.

“Whatever you have to say to me, I’m sure you can say it in front of Patton as well,” Roman snapped. All eyes turned to him, and Roman stood tall. He’d be dead before they intimidated him in his own Imagination.

Virgil and Logan shared a look. Roman’s anger boiled further. He crossed his arms over in front of his chest and puffed it out in a deep breath.

“Roman, this isn’t something that Patton needs to worry about,” Logan replied.

“Why?”

“Because,” Virgil grumbled. Roman didn’t miss the way he sunk in on himself, or how he kept flickering his eyes over to watch what Patton was doing, “Roman, just get your stubborn princey butt out here so we can talk.”

The ‘please’ Virgil was about to say died on his lips as Roman grit his teeth and clenched his hands into fists at his side.

“Fine. You have one minute,” Roman growled. He turned his attention to Patton. The moral side’s eyes pleaded for him not to go. Roman crossed over to stand in front of Patton, and he put his hands into Patton’s own. He didn’t miss the slight tremble or how cold Patton’s fingers felt to the touch.

“Roman,” Patton whispered. His eyes stared straight into Roman’s soul, and Roman’s heart broke a little, “please.”

“I won’t be more than a moment,” Roman replied and rose both Patton’s hands to place a quick kiss. Patton’s face twisted, like he had more to say, but he sighed and nodded his head.

With a quirk of his lips, Roman followed Virgil and Logan out of the room. He closed the doors behind him and crossed his arms.

“Okay, you both have a minute and that’s it,” Roman growled.

“That’s not Patton,” Virgil spoke.

Roman blinked and couldn’t help the breathy laugh. “What do you mean that’s not Patton? He seems pretty Patton-like to me.”

“Last night in the garden, I saw Patton’s reflection in one of the fountains, and he had black eyes.”

Roman’s gaze shifted over to Logan, and his brow rose in question. “You believe this?”

“I-” Logan pursed his lips and sighed through his nose, “With the horrors Virgil and I both faced, we find it highly suspicious that Patton would show up in the garden without any indication of being injured. We think Patton is still part of the Nightmare’s game, and Patton spending time with us is exactly what it wants. Therefore, it’d be safe to assume we all need to keep our distance until we can be absolutely sure Patton is not a trap.”

Patton’s reaction to the two of them stuck in his mind. While Roman was asleep, did they confront him about this? Did they ask Patton questions and act suspiciously around him? Did they hurt him? Roman’s hand dropped to his side into fists. His gut burned along with his intense gaze.

“You really think I’d hurt Patton?” Roman asked.

“It’s not you hurting us, though,” Virgil reminded. His voice lost confidence the longer Roman’s glare burned into him.

“But it is,” Roman reminded. “It’s my nightmare, my thoughts, my negative feelings. It’s as much a part of me as I am of it. Besides, Patton cannot be hurt in the Imagination.”

Logan sighed, “Roman-”

“No, don’t you “Roman” me,” he snapped and made both sides jump.

Virgil’s fear turned into anger, and his body stiffened, ready to fight. “Don’t yell at him. He’s just trying to get your head out of your-”

“As much as I enjoy fighting with you, Virgil, I think it’s time you and Logan both left.”

Virgil’s jaw snapped shut while Logan’s hung open. Roman turned away from them. Virgil’s hand shot out. Roman grabbed Virgil’s wrist, squeezed tight enough to catch Virgil’s attention, and pulled him close.

“You wanted to go home, now go home. I’ll make sure nothing is wrong with Patton. You two stay away from him.”

“Roman, you’re being unreasonably defensive,” Logan remarked, his voice low. He pulled Roman’s hand off of Virgil and stepped between them, daring Roman to make another move. “We’re trying to keep you safe.”

“After all those weeks, you finally care about me when I’m the one in control,” Roman mumbled. Roman opened his doors and sent one last look over his shoulder. Virgil’s eyes begged him not to go back in there, and Logan’s fury caged itself in his narrowed eyes. Roman puffed out his chest, readying himself for the adrenaline fall he’d experience behind the closed door, and growled, “Do us a favor and leave us alone.”

The door slammed closed, and Virgil released a long breath. He ran a hand through his hair and mumbled, “Well, that went well.”

“He’s being stubborn, as per usual,” Logan remarked. He started down the hallway. “If he wishes to find out the hard way, I’ll allow him.”

“Logan,” Virgil started, but he failed to finish. Reasoning with Logan when he was angry was like trying to hold wet soap. He sent one last look at Roman’s room before hurrying after Logan down the hall.

Hopefully Roman could sort this all out.

Behind the closed door, Roman’s shoulders sagged. He rested his head against the cold wood. He’d never hurt Patton. For them to even think that he’d do such a thing-

“Roman?”

He jumped and spun around. Patton stood right behind him, his hands stretched to touch but far enough away to ask permission first.

Roman pulled out his normal bravado and turned to him. “Thank you for waiting.”

“I heard… everything,” Patton admitted, his head lowering in shame. He rubbed his right forearm, and a somber smile pulled on his lips. “I didn’t mean to make everyone so upset.”

“Nonsense,” Roman spoke and came to Patton’s side. He put both his hands on Patton’s shoulders, but Patton still refused to look up at him. Roman leaned down to try and catch Patton’s gaze. Patton’s eyes were glistening with fresh tears, but he blinked them away quickly. Roman’s heartstrings tugged a soft smile on his face.

“Patton, I don’t blame you for a thing,” Roman spoke. “I chose to get into a fight. It’s my fault this even happened in the first place. If I had kept better tabs on my Nightmare, none of you would’ve been put in danger.”

Patton nodded his head in silent agreement. He looked up at Roman and chewed on his lip.

“Do you think,” Patton started then turned his head toward the window. He returned back to Roman with a smile, “Do you think I can flower you with attention in the garden now?”

Roman’s lips drew a soft smile. He pulled Patton’s hand along with him to the door.

“Of course. I have all the time in the world,” Roman responded.

Patton smiled, but it fell as soon as Roman wasn’t paying attention. He may not be Thomas’s Morality, but all this lying was starting to hurt, mainly in his chest and stomach. Was it a side effect? Would it kill him? Patton’s copy followed Roman without a word, the lies burning a hole into his stomach.

The garden’s warmth did little to remove the goosebumps on Patton’s skin. Roman weaved through the garden, walking past rows of flowers, pointing out statues, and passing glistening fountains. Patton stayed out of the reflection’s edge until he was sure Roman wasn’t watching. Hollow black eyes continued to stare back at him, and Patton’s stomach relocated itself into his throat.

“You coming, Pat the Cat?” Roman asked, making Patton jump.

“I am,” Patton replied. He hurried after Roman, leaving his worry to drown in the fountain. He prayed something would stop this from happening.

Meanwhile, Logan and Virgil had barely made it out of the castle gates when Virgil stopped in his tracks. Logan turned and popped an eyebrow up.

“This feels wrong,” Virgil mumbled behind his sweater paw. “Something… something’s wrong. Something’s going to happen.”

“The only thing going to happen is us leaving this imaginary prison,” Logan snapped. Virgil’s eyes flickered up to catch Logan’s gaze, but it dropped soon after. Logan’s anger wavered. He took a few steps toward Virgil, noting the other side’s erratic breath and trembling legs. “Roman made his decision. We cannot force him to come with us.”

Virgil opened his mouth to speak when he something plowed into his back. He gasped in surprise.

Logan caught Virgil before he fell onto his knees. His eyes settled on dark curls, tanned skin, and wide and fearful brown eyes.

“I-I’m sorry,” the girl spoke. Her head spun from left to right. “I’m looking for the garden. Do you know where- where is it?”

Virgil glanced up at Logan, who helped Virgil stand. Logan knelt down and put both his hands on the girl’s shoulders. She was maybe half his height, about six or seven if he had to guess an age, and refused to look him in the eye.

“May I ask your name?” Logan asked.

“C-Cassie,” she informed.

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Cassie. Why do you need to get to the garden?”

Her head snapped up. “Prince Roman. It’s Prince Roman. He’s in danger. That monster is setting a trap for him.”

Logan caught Virgil’s gaze. Of course. The Nightmare had to know they’d get into a fight if they challenged Roman’s ego. It set them up and played them like fiddles. Roman would take Patton to the garden alone, and if that really wasn’t Patton, there’d be no one to defend Roman against his nightmare.

Logan recalled the way Roman ran to take them to the garden. If they hurried-

Roman sat down on the bench he found Patton on earlier that day. Patton sat beside him, his eyes catching the glistening glow of the golden and red roses behind the bench. He swallowed. His stomach threatened to spill its contents. He plastered on a fake smile and chipper voice, one only Patton could produce.

“Oh, Roman, I forgot to give you something last night!”

Logan and Virgil raced through the halls. With each step, Logan blamed him and his temper more and more. Virgil tried to warn him. Virgil knew something was wrong, but Logan was too angry with Roman’s illogical decision to care if he hurt himself. And now, they might lose Roman and Patton altogether.

The doors to the garden loomed in front of them, the sunlight glowing against the rose paned window.

“Patton, you didn’t have to,” Roman mused. He held the maroon and aureolin colored roses in his hands. The Imagination stopped the flowers from wilting, and he marveled at how soft the petals were after being dead for hours.

“I know,” Patton replied. He turned his gaze to the sky. “I just wanted to do something for you, you know, to thank you for rescuing me.”

A small smile pulled at Roman’s lips. “I’d never let you down, Patton.”

“Roman!” Virgil called as he ran through the flowers. Neither Patton nor Roman came into view, and it felt like they ran for hours.

“Stay calm,” Logan remarked. “Think. Where would they go in the garden?”

“The gazebo. It was the first place Roman went when he was looking for Patton.”

The two sides took off down the garden path.

Just a little longer.

“Would you wear it?” Patton asked and stroked his own crown. The somber blue and white petals wilted slightly at his touch, but they returned to their normal color as he drew his fingers away.

“I’d wear anything you made for me,” Roman remarked. He studied the crown in his hand.

“No,” Logan whispered as he slid to a halt. Virgil crashed into his back. The gazebo was empty, much like their thoughts on where to go.

“What if we’re too late?” Virgil swallowed thickly. “What if Roman’s already hurt? What if-”

“Calm down. I’m sure we’re not too late,” Logan chewed on his lips. He looked around the garden. There had to be a clue. There had to be a sign.

There had to be another way.

“Well go on,” Patton urged, his lips quivering as he tried to cling onto his smile. His insides threatened to rip him in half.

Roman twisted the flowers in his hand. He looked over at Patton and handed the flowers back.

“Would you like to do the honors?” he asked.

Patton’s heart split. His fingers trembled as he took the flowers from Roman’s hand.

Logan’s eye caught the lights floating above them. How odd that they’d still be illuminated in the day. Wouldn’t they extinguish when the sun rose?

Wait, weren’t those the lights they followed to find Patton. If Patton truly was giving them clues, they had to be one.

“Virgil, the lights,” Logan spoke to attract Virgil’s attention. Virgil glanced up, and the sharp intake of breath indicated his theory was the same as Logan’s own.

The two sides raced down the path, hoping Roman would hold on just a little longer.

Roman lowered his head, allowing Patton to take control and nest the flowers in his hair.

The garden passed by in a blur as Logan and Virgil darted around the corner.

Patton bit his lips as his hands hovered above Roman’s free will. He couldn’t do this. His arms trembled, despite the flowers ordering him to put the crown on Roman’s head. He strained his muscles to pull his frozen hands back.

“Roman, don’t!” Virgil called out.

Roman’s head snapped up directly into the crown and closed the gap.

Patton’s hands drew back as he sucked in a breath. The colors from the crown glowed, blinding all that stood in its path. Roman let out a loud scream. The lights dimmed, and Patton blinked the spots from his eyes.

“Roman?” he questioned.

The creative side’s eyes stared at the ground, and his chest rose and fell like he ran a marathon. Sweat glistened on his brow, and his lips hung open in shock.

A low chuckle escaped his throat.

“Roman?” Virgil took a step closer, but Logan’s outstretched hand stopped him from advancing.

When Roman’s eyes rose again, the irises were the same color as the roses, one red and one gold. His lips quirked up into an amused smirk, and he tilted his head to the side.

“Whoops, looks like you’re a little late there, gentlemen,” he purred.

Patton panicked and grabbed onto the flowers. He gave a tug, but they refused to come off. Roman’s hand snapped up and grabbed one of Patton’s wrists, earning a shocked gasp, and squeezed.

“Ah, you can’t take them back,” Roman practically sang. Patton whined and tried to pull his wrist away, but Roman held firm. He purred, “What’s wrong, pet? Getting cold feet?”

“Let him go,” Virgil growled.

“Why?” Roman tilted his head to the side. “He’s mine, after all.”

Logan grit his teeth and took a step forward, until Roman pulled the flowers from Patton’s head. The copy shifted into a monochrome Patton, its black eyes blinking in shock. Roman’s grin widened.

“Guess you were right all along, Virgil,” it teased. Footsteps echoed in the garden, and Roman’s expression turned into one of terror. It threw Logan and Virgil long enough for the palace guards to storm into the garden and surround them.

“Guards!” Roman shouted and pointed a finger, “Arrest these two for threatening the crown.”

“What?” Virgil snapped. A heavy hand settled on his shoulder, and he struggled to pull away. Logan managed to slip out of the grasp of one guard, but he fell into the hold of another. They snapped the strap of his quiver and sent arrows scattering to the ground.

Virgil’s magic crackled in his palms. He created a shadow ball and smacked it into the stomach of the guard behind him. The guard released him with a cry, and Virgil rushed towards Roman. He had to get that crown. He could still try and stop this.

Before he made it, a guard tackled and pinned him to his stomach. Cuffs wrapped around his wrists, and the magic from his hands sparked and fizzled out. The words ‘magic suppressers’ echoed in Virgil’s mind.

“Take them to the dungeons until I figure out what to do with them,” Roman ordered the guards. He turned his attention to Logan and Virgil. “I must warn you though, the penalty for threatening the crown is death.”

Virgil glanced up to catch Roman’s toothy grin. The shadow clone of Patton watched him with pained eyes, its lips snagged between its teeth. The guard on top of Virgil lifted him to his feet and shoved him towards their prison

“You won’t get away with this,” Logan growled as he struggled to pull away.

“Oh, but my dear Logan,” Roman remarked with a grin. “I guarantee you, I already won.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Roman under the Nightmare's control and Patton incapacitated, it's going to take everything they have to save their family from being torn apart. However, the game is far from over, and if they hurry, they might just find the key to winning the game.
> 
> \--  
> Chapter Warnings: Mind control, manipulation, unhealthy relationships (though it's really one-sided *rim shot*), non-con touching, death threats, implied death, vomiting (woops that's a lot of warnings)  
> Word count: 7,562 (double woops this got rather long)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here we are at the end!
> 
> For those of you who have read this before I posted this chapter, I'm encouraging you to go back and read it again from the beginning. I fixed a few mistakes and a plot hole that didn't arise until I got to chapter 4, so if things didn't make sense before, they should now.
> 
> And now, without further ado, the last chapter of Casting Shadows!

Roman’s footsteps echoed as he walked along the stone path to his throne. He admired how vibrant the colors were, no longer dull and desaturated with his gray eyes. Every sound was crisp. Every touch sent his skin reeling. Every taste of wine satisfied him longer.

He should’ve returned himself to Roman’s body years ago.

He’d never forget when he achieved his first kill. That feeling of being split in half. How Roman dumped all his fear and regret into one being. Then, he had the audacity to call him a nightmare and banish him from the kingdom instead of facing his fears.

Well, this nightmare would no longer stand for that.

Roman sat upon the soft cushions of his throne and crossed one leg over the other. He ran his hands over the silk rails, admiring how soft they felt to his touch. Roman had excellent taste. The nightmare focused on the palm of his hand, and a glass of wine formed. He smirked and sipped the edge, the bitter flavor stinging his throat and curling his nose.

He wondered if Roman appreciated life this much.

A knock sounded at the throne doors, and Roman’s head perked up.

“Come in,” he called out. The doors opened, revealing two guards holding on to the shoulders of Patton’s copy. Roman couldn’t help the smile on his lips. Patton looked gorgeous in his light blue and black outfit. The buttons down the center shimmered silver in the sunlight, and the flower crown above his head protected all the colors of his past. He refused to look up at Roman, and instead studied the patterns on the marble floor.

Roman strode over and sighed, “Oh, darling, you look absolutely stunning.”

Still, the copy’s gaze refused to acknowledge his presence. Roman lifted Patton’s chin with a black gloved finger. Patton sucked in a breath and scowled, and a giggle of delight bubbled in Roman’s gut.

“Yes, such fierceness,” Roman commented. “I love when there’s still a little bit of fight left in my toys.”

“I did what you asked,” the copy growled.

“Yes, you did. You played your part perfectly. Well, almost perfectly. Don’t think I missed how you tried to take the crown off my head.”

“It’s not yours.”

“It is now.” Roman laughed. He shook his head. “Honestly, Patton, did you forget that Roman and I are the same person?”

Patton scowled deeper. “I tried to forget you existed at all.”

“Oh, that hurts,” Roman put a hand on his chest and sighed overdramatically. “And to think, I thought we could be friends. Nay, family. You’re going to need a new one anyway once I’m done with yours.”

“Let them go. You said you would if I played along.”

“Oh, my dear sweet puffball Patton,” the nightmare cooed, copying the nickname Roman used so lovingly and somehow made it sound absolutely patronizing, “I don’t remember promising their safety after I won the game.”

Patton stomped on Roman’s foot, earning a surprised gasp from Roman. Patton backed up and took off down the hall. Roman sighed and held his hand out in a stop gesture. Patton yelped as his wrists snagged backward. He tried to continue forward, but his legs refused to move. Roman smirked as he curled a finger in and beckoned Patton towards him. Patton's feet slid across the marble floor as he returned back to Roman’s nightmare. Once he was close enough, Roman grabbed onto Patton's wrist and spun him around, causing Patton to crash into his chest, and squeezed his arms around Patton’s shoulders. Patton squirmed in his grasp, but Roman’s arms held tight.

“Let go,” Patton ordered.

“Well, I can't let all three of you go, so which is it?” Roman’s grin turned devilish.

Patton stopped struggling. He panted for air and bit his lip.

“Don’t you think you can give them one more chance?”

Roman hummed. “I don’t know-”

“Roman, please,” Patton spoke. Calling that thing Roman burned his throat, but it got his attention. Roman's eyes softened, almost reminiscent of his host's loving gaze, and he sighed.

“Those two really mean that much to you?” He watched Patton lower his head and give a small nod. “Tell you what, I'll play one last game with them. If they win, they're free to go. But, if they lose, I get to do what I want with them.”

Patton dared to look hopeful, but his stomach twisted. “What's the catch?”

“Catch?” Roman's head tilted to the side. “Patton, you wound me. Don't you think I'd do this out of the goodness of my heart?”

“Not exactly.”

Roman's laughter rumbled in his chest. “Patton, you've already promised to be mine. What else could you give me that I don't already have?”

Patton opened his mouth to answer, but Roman dipped him down and caused Patton to choke on his words. Roman's lips hovered dangerously close to Patton's own. Patton bit his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood, which caught Roman's attention for a fair amount of time. Roman sighed and brought Patton back onto his feet. His fingers brushed over Patton's lip, and for a moment, Patton swore they turned brown again, but the color disappeared in the blink of an eye.

“Oh, darling, you wound me so. All I wanted was a kiss. Is this the thanks I get for pulling you out of that weak body?”

“I wasn’t weak.”

“Ah, but Patton, you can do so much more now. Sure, you’re no longer attached to Thomas, but think of the things you can do now. You don’t have to feel sorrow for each and every person. You don’t have to tell the truth. You’re no longer Morality. You’re part of the Imagination. You’re free to do whatever you want.”

“All I want to do is go home with my family.”

“Ah, I’m afraid you can’t do that.” Roman picked Patton up and dropped him on the throne. He leaned in close, their noses almost touching, and put a sickening grin on his face. Patton tried to scowl back, but with how close Roman was and how he pinned Patton’s wrists to the throne’s arms, he couldn’t help the flicker of fear in his eyes.

The nightmare continued, “Now that you’re part of the Imagination, you can’t leave anyway. You're not really Patton anymore, which means the golden rule that you can't get hurt doesn't apply anymore. Your bloody lip is proof of that. I'd prefer not to hurt you, so try to be a good boy and listen.”

Patton fought not to cry. He couldn’t show that he was actually scared. Not to this nightmare. Instead, he sucked in a pained breath. For a moment, Roman’s body stilled, and he swallowed rather hard. A quick look of regret flashed on Roman’s face. Roman released Patton’s wrists, and Patton cradled them close to his chest. Already the freckled skin showed the red anger of a fresh bruise, feeling more like a brand. A reminder that he wasn't as free as Roman claimed, and he could very much get hurt if he made a mistake.

“Better get comfortable, my pet. You’re going to be here for a long time.”

\--

The cell’s door squeaked as the guards swung it open. Virgil lost his balance as they shoved him inside. With his wrists tied behind his back, he lost his balance, and his left cheek scraped the floor. The cell door squealed closed, and the heavy sound of the lock echoed.

Logan’s warm hands on Virgil’s back jolted his body. A surprisingly soft whisper hushed from Logan’s lips, and he helped Virgil sit up onto his knees. His eyes scanned the red scratch marks on Virgil’s face.

“Are you injured?” Logan asked.

“I’m fine,” Virgil growled, though he could feel the scrapes on his cheek pulsing. Logan’s lips quirked into a semblance of a smile, and he sighed.

“That could’ve gone better.”

“Ya think?”

“Our next step would be to escape and rescue Roman and Patton from their ill fate.” Logan paused, “If Patton is still-”

“Don’t,” Virgil snapped. “Don’t even finish that sentence.”

Logan swallowed his words down his throat. He stared at Virgil’s hands and sighed, “We could move you so your cuffs are in front of you instead of behind.”

“Yeah, so next time I get pushed around, I can at least catch what little dignity I have left.”

Logan helped Virgil lay down on his back. He stretched Virgil's arms as long as they would go and forced the metal cuffs back around Virgil's legs. Virgil bent his knees and squished his legs together, and the metal rings slipped over his shoes and rested at his stomach.

“Guess all that yoga stuff was worth something after all,” Virgil said with an amused chuckle. He examined the dark rings around his wrists, thick and covered in a special cloth soaked in a diluted poison. It wouldn’t harm Virgil specifically, but it targeted the magic routes in his body and plugged them up, stopping his magic from leaving his hands like a blood clot.

“So, any bright ideas?” Virgil continued.

Logan looked around their cell, taking in the thin cot that only had enough room for one person and a bucket in the corner. There were no windows, no cracks, and no possible way to dig through the stone walls and floor that surrounded them.

“I’m working on it,” Logan mumbled.

Virgil sighed heavily and leaned back against the stone wall. He refused to catch the pitying eyes of the citizens of Imagination, the ones so dependent on Roman, staring at them like their last hope just fluttered out the window. How long had they been trapped here? Virgil let his head press against the stone behind him. His eyes slipped closed, but he knew he wouldn’t be sleeping anytime soon.

The sound of the dungeon door unlocking shocked Virgil back into an alert position. A few gasps and whispers followed, and Logan pressed himself against the bars of the cell for a better look. Virgil stood and joined his side.

Roman, or at least what used to be Roman, walked down the cell halls with a confidence that burned a hole in Virgil’s gut. He stopped in the middle, making sure to catch Logan and Virgil’s attention, and cleared his throat.

“Fear not, my good citizens, for I am here to rescue you.” The people whispered amongst themselves. A few said nothing and stared, while others looked foolishly hopeful. Roman continued, “All you have to do is pledge your allegiance to me.”

This set a new conversation alight in the cells, some whispering, some angry, and some seeing right through the facade.

“You’re not our Prince,” one boy had the courage to yell. Roman snapped his head in the boy’s direction, and he walked over to the cell. The boy was pulled back by an elderly woman, who stared at Roman and drew a cross over her chest.

“And what’s your name, little one?” Roman asked.

“Peter,” he hissed with pride, “and I know that Prince Roman would never talk like that.”

“Is that so?” Roman asked. He stood and hummed through his nose. “Let me make this perfectly clear. Those who do not pledge their allegiance to me will be put to death quicker than I can write their name on the execution papers.”

The whole dungeon erupted into shouts and angry cries, and Roman walked down the row of cells. He stopped right outside of Virgil and Logan’s prison. His lips pulled into a smug smile.

“What say you, gentlemen?” Roman asked. The chatter in the cells started to die down, curious as to what the two strangers who looked like Roman had to say. “Would you join me if I asked?”

“I’ll take my chances with the guillotine, thanks,” Virgil spat.

Roman shrugged. He turned his attention to Logan. “Surely you’re smart enough to accept my offer.”

Logan set his jaw, and he narrowed his eyes. “I wouldn’t join you if you were the last derivative thot in the Imagination.”

Virgil hummed with how clever the insult was, but it seemed to go right over Roman’s head as per usual. Roman sighed and shook his head. He turned on his heels, slowly walked down the hallway, and folded his hands behind his back.

“Well, it appears you lost the game, gentlemen. What a pity. Patton is going to be so disappointed,” he sighed.

“Where is he?” Virgil growled. Roman kept walking away, and Virgil yelled again. “Roman, what did you do to Patton?”

Roman stopped in his tracks. “Nothing he didn’t consent to. Basically, he signed over all his rights to freedom to give you both a chance. It’s a shame you’ve wasted it.” He sighed. “Oh well. I guess I’ll have to break the news to him.”

“You get back here,” Virgil shouted and shook the bars to the cell. The door to the dungeons closed, and Virgil rested his head against the bars.

He didn’t know if he was more upset with himself or Patton.

“Why? Why would he do that?” Virgil growled.

Logan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Because he’s Patton.”

Virgil snuffed. What an unsatisfying yet correct answer. Patton, who would jump at any chance to keep his family safe. Patton, who gave himself up so they would have a chance. Patton, who was now stuck with a roaming puppet (and would probably appreciate the pun) for who knows how long thanks to his and Logan’s stubbornness.

Virgil was glad he wouldn’t see how crushed Patton would become upon hearing the news. Would Patton fight to get them back? Could he? Virgil walked over to the stone wall. He’d punch it if it wouldn’t send both his hands into agony. His face already hurt. He didn’t need to add to it. Instead, he turned and slid his back down the wall. The cool stone scratched his skin, feeling horrible yet relaxing at the same time.

Would Roman actually put him and Logan to death tomorrow morning? Could they actually die here, or would they just show up in the Mindscape later? Virgil caught sight of the sun setting in the distance. Who knew how long that would be?

After an eternity of waiting, guards started to come down to the cells and pull people from them. Some were separated from their tearful families, while others set out with a mission in mind. Each was either heading to their funeral or their salvation.

Virgil snuffed. Even if they were fake people, he still felt bad for them.

The soft skitter of Logan’s feet scraping against the stone floor shocked Virgil from his thoughts. He watched Logan pace back and forth. Back and forth. Logan’s teeth squashed his lips together. Back and forth. His shoulders held tension, and his eyes scanned the floor as if he were reading the answer in the cracks. Back and forth. The motion started to soothe Virgil, like watching a fish swim in its tank. Back and forth.

“Psst.”

Virgil’s body tensed. The noise didn’t come from Logan, as the logical side kept pacing. Still, it sounded too close to be anyone else.

“Pssssst.”

Virgil jumped up and flung his head about. Nothing in the dark room looked out of place. Nothing except-

“Hey,” a soft voice called out. Virgil recognized those wild black curls on the other side of the bars, even in the low firelight. Cassie, he thought her name was. Logan noticed her as well and stopped his pacing. Her eyes settled on Virgil’s cheek as she asked, “Are you both okay?”

“Satisfactory considering the conditions,” Logan responded.

Cassie took a moment to sort out what those words meant and decided they were good. She held a silver key ring in her hands. Placing key after key into the lock, she finally found the one that opened the cell door. Cassie slipped inside and closed it behind her.

“Glad to see you’re okay too,” Virgil commented.

Cassie sighed. She looked behind her and back at the two boys. “We lost, didn’t we?”

“Not yet,” Logan replied. “If we can remove the crown from Roman’s head, there is a chance we can remove the Nightmare’s control.”

Cassie nodded her head. “What can I do to help?”

“You got a key for these cuffs?” Virgil asked. Cassie stared down at the ring in her hand, and her eyebrows creased together. She held it out to Virgil, who chuckled and shook his head. “No, kid, there’s probably a special one that has to unlock these.”

“Are they magic suppressors?” Cassie asked.

“Yeah,” Virgil furrowed his brow. “How-”

“I broke mine when they first brought me here. I don’t know many spells, but it was a rule that all those with magic had to wear them, or at least that’s what they told me. Mine broke really easy if you hit them with a sharp enough rock a lot of times. Maybe yours will too.”

Virgil hummed and flexed his hands. He looked around the room for any decent rocks to hit them off of.

Cassie took Logan’s wrists in one hand and sorted through the keys with her other. No matter what she did, none of the keys seemed to fit. Her shoulders sagged in defeat, but Logan tried to send her a reassuring smile.

“Thank you for trying,” Logan comforted. Cassie nodded her head.

A loud crack jolted her body into Logan’s chest, and the metal ring around Virgil’s right wrist fell. The black energy in his hand sparked to life, and he used it to crack a black hole into the other cuff. Virgil rubbed the soreness away in his wrists.

“Wow, I’m almost disappointed with how easy that was,” Virgil grumbled. He turned to Logan, who pulled his wrists against his chest and sent a wary look. Virgil sighed through his nose and cradled Logan’s hand in his. “It won’t hurt, Logan, I promise.”

Logan’s gaze studied Virgil’s hand, and he sighed through his nose. “I trust you.”

“Heh, thanks.” Virgil placed his other hand on top of Logan’s cuff. Logan squeezed his eyes shut. True to Virgil’s words, the magic only attacked the metal, and both cuffs slid off Logan’s wrists.

“Now, all we have to do is free Roman and Patton,” Logan spoke.

Cassie perked up. “Oh, I know where Patton is.”

The two stared down at her in shock. Cassie motioned for them to follow. Logan snuck out behind her, and Virgil kept an eye out behind them. The cells were empty save for the three of them. Or at least, that’s what they thought until Cassie stopped at a cell at the far end of the dungeons. She slipped the keys inside the lock one by one.

Logan squinted through the shadows. In the low light, he could make out a shape laying on a plethora of blankets. The lock clicked open, and Cassie cringed as the gate squeaked open. The three walked in the door as one.

“Patton,” Logan whispered. He touched Patton’s cheek and retracted it with a sharp breath. It was cold as a corpse.

Virgil’s words burned his throat. “Is he-”

“I don’t know,” Logan replied. He put two fingers to Patton’s neck. Patton’s weak heartbeat called out to him. A sigh of relief left Logan’s lips, and he gathered his thoughts. “Roman said that there was a rule. Patton cannot be hurt within the Imagination.”

“So, what’s going on?” Virgil asked. “Is this like… a fake or something?”

“Two days ago, the monster came down here with Patton,” Cassie explained. “I’ve seen Patton once with Prince Roman a long time ago. He’s really nice. Anyway, the monster said that he was playing a game with Prince Roman, and Patton was Roman’s key to winning. He also said if Patton didn’t play, his family would die, but I didn’t know who that was until now.”

Logan and Virgil shared a look of guilt. Here, they complained about not getting a choice, but Patton was given a choice, which wasn’t much of a choice at all.

Cassie continued, “Patton agreed, and the monster made these shiny blue and white flowers. They were pretty. He held out Patton’s hand and pricked his fingers on the thorns. His blood made the flowers do something weird, and they started to glow really bright. And when I opened my eyes again, there was a black and white Patton, and this Patton fell to the floor. He hasn’t woke up since.”

“Oh, Patton,” Virgil whispered. He ran a hand through Patton’s hair and noticed how dark Patton’s freckles looked against his ghostly skin.

“But you can fix him, right?” Cassie asked. She turned her eyes to them both, a hopeful twinkle in her eye sparkling in the firelight.

Logan looked at Virgil, who offered a nod. He turned his attention back to Cassie and responded, “We’ll do whatever it takes.”

“Good,” Cassie spoke, “I can take you through the vent system to get to the ballroom. There are guards all over the place in the halls. The monster wants to make sure no one gets in or out. They’re celebrating him becoming the prince and those who… made it.” Cassie’s head lowered. Virgil and Logan shared a look. Roman’s words of execution cut through in their minds. These people may be imaginary, but they were very real to Cassie and most likely Roman as well.

No doubt it was a move to show Roman just how much he lost control of his own Imagination.

Virgil put a hand to her shoulder. “Thank you for all your help, Cassie. You’re very brave.”

Cassie perked up at that. She motioned for the two of them to follow her, and they hoped that they still had a chance to turn this whole mess around.

\--

The ballroom swelled with the sounds of string instruments. People clapped and cheered as they danced around the ballroom. The chandeliers above cast deep shadows across the ballroom, erasing the sorrows and emptiness that was the room hours earlier.

It disgusted Patton more than he’d like to admit.

Of course, Roman made him stand by his side as he handed out each sentence. It didn’t matter if the person was five or fifty-five. If they opposed Roman, they were sentenced to death. Patton gave up on begging for the lives of others long ago. His red stained eyes glared at the traitors in the ballroom, all turning on his Roman like he meant nothing.

In a way, this was Roman’s worst nightmare.

The other Roman mingled with those who survived his deadly game. Some gave polite nods and pulled away, obviously disgusted with their choice. However, most accepted the new Roman as their prince before he could ask them the question.

Patton’s eyes glanced at the doors to the hall. Two guards stood between him and his freedom. If he could sneak past them, he might be able to get to the dungeon before Roman had a chance to execute Logan and Virgil. He watched Roman for a moment longer, made sure no attention was on him, and slid away from his chair.

The crowd did a magnificent job hiding him in the shadows. He moved from person to person, kept an eye on Roman at all times, and made sure Roman remained oblivious to his presence. Some people acknowledged him while others pretended he didn’t exist. Patton could care less. He was on a mission, and if that meant being a little less friendly than normal, he’d do it.

Patton started to feel less and less like himself with each lie, each unkind word, and each selfish act, and it terrified him deep down.

The guards at the door caught sight of him, and Patton straightened himself. As he anticipated, they crossed their weapons over the door to keep him from leaving.

“Um,” Patton spoke and bounced on his toes, “I need to use the bathroom.”

The guards looked between each other. They both had orders to leave no one in or out, no exceptions. Patton bounced around a little harder.

“Please,” he whined.

One of the guards rolled his eyes. He was just about to open the door when a hand spun Patton around.

“Oh, darling, you finally managed to join the party,” Roman bellowed. Patton tried to pull away, but Roman twisted Patton into a spin and dipped him down. Roman's fingernails squeezed Patton's arm and waist. “You weren’t thinking of running away now, were you? I asked the orchestra to play a special song just for us.”

Patton laughed nervously as Roman straightened them both into a standing position.

“Just needed to use the bathroom,” Patton responded.

“Oh, I’m sure it could wait a moment or two,” Roman replied. He took Patton’s hand in his own and settled the other at his waist. With a sweep of his feet, he waltzed Patton into the center of the ballroom.

“Really, Roman-” Patton argued, but Roman spun him around and earned a surprised squeak from Patton instead.

“You should be celebrating anyway. As soon as I execute those other two sides, the game will be over, and then you can spend the rest of your life here with me. This is as much your party as it is mine.”

“I- ah!” Roman’s hands squeezed around Patton’s waist and lifted him into the air. Patton kicked and begged to be returned. Eventually, Roman set him back down. Patton’s balance started to waiver.

“No need to thank me, my pet. You have no idea how much your love means to me. What it means to him. He’s practically screaming your name right now.” A sickening grin crossed Roman’s face.

Patton’s stomach dropped as he realized Roman could see all of this, but the creative side couldn’t do a thing to stop it. Their pace picked up, doubling the speed of a normal waltz. Patton’s feet stumbled. He had to find some way to escape for everyone’s sake. He had to keep his family safe.

But how?

Lights and colors spun as Patton tried to keep his balance. This was the most disorienting waltz he’d ever been a part of, and he’d waltzed with Roman plenty of times before.

“Roman, please slow down. I’m going to be sick,” he whined.

Roman stopped. Patton lost his balance and stumbled into Roman’s chest. He tried to push away, but he lacked the coordination and ended up falling backward. A few people cried out in surprise, but no one made a move to help him. All but Roman that was. A kind hand extended down to him, and that soft smile haunted Patton. It looked so much like Roman, and yet not.

“Now, don’t go falling for me, sweetheart,” Roman said, and his soft smile turned into a grin.

“I’d rather run, kiddo.”

Roman let out a loud laugh, one way too cheerful to be sincere. He stood and drew his arms back. Invisible strings around Patton's wrists pulled his body forward. Patton crashed into Roman’s chest. A possessive hand wrapped around his waist, and Roman’s hand tightened around Patton’s own.

“Such a sense of humor,” Roman sneered. His breath heated Patton’s skin. Roman allowed Patton to pull away, but he spun Patton back in, making it look like a loving dance move. He crossed Patton’s arms between his and pressed Patton’s back against his chest. Roman’s breath scorched Patton’s ear as he whispered, “Even if you wanted to, you can’t run away from me. I’ll always find you and pull you back.”

Patton’s heart trembled as he drew a shaky breath. When did the line between Patton and Roman’s nightmare blur?

Through the corner of his eye, Patton swore he saw a familiar shadow move. He tried to get a better look, but Roman picked him off his feet and spun his attention away. They began to waltz again, and Patton attempted to spot the shadow he’d seen.

Perhaps it was a trick of the light. Perhaps it wasn’t Logan crawling out of a vent on the far side of the ballroom. Perhaps Patton was so disoriented he was psychologically searching for something to save him.

No, there he definitely saw Virgil ducking behind someone. He’d know that hoodie anywhere. Patton could’ve cried in relief. They were alive. They were okay.

They were going to get a piece of his mind when he broke free from Roman.

Patton locked eyes with Logan. He could feel Logan's sigh of relief. Virgil found him next, and Patton couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. He gathered enough space from Roman to take two steps toward them, but Roman drew him back in. He felt like a marionette manipulated by a puppeteer. Every time he tried to escape, Roman was one step ahead of him.

How was he going to save the others if he couldn’t even save himself?

As he twisted about in Roman's disorienting waltz, he caught a few vague expressions from the other two sides. Logan looked absolutely livid, his eyes locked on Patton and jaw clenched. Patton wasn’t sure if it was because of how easily Roman played with Patton or for Patton betraying them. Patton could deal with Logan’s anger. He had calmed Logan tons of times before. The more concerning expression came from Virgil. The anxious side kept whispering to Logan, and every once and a while, he’d send a look of pity. Virgil had to feel how scared Patton was right now.

Roman blocked Patton's view, and Patton studied his shoes. He cradled Patton’s cheeks in his hands.

“Keep your eyes on me, darling,” Roman teased.

Patton swallowed as heat rose to his cheeks. Roman had to know Logan and Virgil were there. He had to. Now, he was just showing off his power. To prove Patton’s theory, Roman cast a quick glance from the corner of his eye in Logan and Virgil’s direction. Patton swallowed his nerves down his throat. He had to think of another way out of this. Pulling away wasn’t working, so maybe… maybe he could try the opposite. Patton knew it’d be risky, and there’d be no guarantee it would work, but he had to try something.

If this nightmare wanted Patton’s love, he was going to get it tenfold.

Patton’s lips pulled into a coy smile. He eased into Roman’s hold, and his footsteps followed right behind Roman. The music seemed more like a distraction instead of a funeral march. Roman at first appeared surprised, but he soon accepted Patton’s submission and whirled him around the dance floor.

As the music ended, Roman spun Patton and dipped him down. He held their faces inches apart. Patton laughed, and he slid his hand down Roman’s jawline. Roman’s lips quirked into a grin.

“You really are a great dancer,” Patton commented. Roman’s heart swelled at the praise. He brought his face down to plant a kiss, but Patton put a finger between their lips and clicked his tongue. “Oh, come on now, kiddo. I know I’m yours, but don’t dance around asking permission.”

Roman rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Such a tease.”

Patton’s hand traveled around the back of Roman’s neck. He could feel the burning gaze of his family on his skin, but he couldn’t afford to lose his concentration right now. Gentle fingers twisted up Roman’s hairline and nested right underneath the flower crown.

“You know I love to pun-ish people when I’m playing,” Patton retorted. His fingers twisted under the crown’s stems.

“What kind of game are you playing here?” Roman asked and quirked a brow.

“Oh, I’m sure my intentions will blossom on their own,” Patton cooed. He brought his lips closer, allowing his eyes to flutter closed. Roman did the same. Patton’s heart sped up. His fingers and eyes squeezed shut.

When Roman’s lips brushed against him, Patton pulled as hard as he could. Roman let out a loud cry. Patton rolled onto his back, tossing Roman over him like a rag doll. The force should’ve snapped the crown in Patton’s grasp, but it still stayed attached to Roman’s body. Roman slid on his side across the dance floor. People scattered like sheep and screamed like he were a cobra.

Patton rolled onto his hands and knees. Realization set into his muscles. His move failed. He scampered to his feet and took off toward the doors. The guards pointed their weapons and halted him in his tracks, their points inches from his face. Patton took a hesitant step backward.

“You little sneak,” Roman hissed. He reached out for Patton, but Patton pulled away and backed into the weapons behind him. He let out a startled cry. Roman’s eyes glowed with anger. “Did you forget only I can take the flowers off? Did you really think you could free Roman on your own? Did you forget you’re both mine until I’m done with you?”

“I’m not yours,” Patton hissed back.

Roman laughed and backed u a few steps. “Wanna bet?”

Roman lifted his hands and used his invisible chains to drag Patton to the center of the ballroom. Patton’s feet squeaked on the marble as he tried to stop himself. Roman twisted Patton around and grabbed his chin, his fingers digging deep into Patton’s cheeks, and forced him to look into his eyes.

“It appears I’ve forgotten to ask the most important person here to pledge their allegiance to me, even if he did promise to be mine forever. Morals don’t seem that important to him anymore.”

In the crowd, Virgil sucked in a breath. “Logan, we have to do something.”

Logan looked at a loss for words. His face twisted in frustration, and he sighed harshly through his nose. What could they do? Patton wasn't in control of himself any longer, and who knew how that nightmare would use it to his advantage? As if to prove his thoughts, Roman peeked out the corner of his eye and flashed a grin that spoke ‘I dare you.’

However, Patton also sent a glance their way. It was restricted, but Logan could read the words ‘trust me’ whisper from Patton's lips. Virgil stilled, indicating that he caught the message as well.

“I'm sorry, pet, but I didn't hear you,” Roman purred, his lips pulling into a toothy grin. “Do you?”

Patton smacked Roman’s hand away and narrowed his eyes. His hate filled gaze answered for him. Roman shoved Patton backward, causing Patton to lose his balance and crash onto his back. Roman pulled his sword from his belt and pointed it directly at Patton’s throat. He used the tip to raise Patton’s head, the banter of forcing Patton’s gaze long gone.

“If you won’t say it, I’ll cut the words out of you until you’re begging for my forgiveness.”

Patton bit his lip and tried to look confident, but the startled tears forming in his eyes betrayed him. He swallowed, and the sword scratched his chin. If he was wrong, this would be his last few words, so he had to make them count.

“Well, kiddo, I’m afraid you’re going to have to cut me to pieces then,” Patton responded, “because if there’s one thing I won’t do, Morality or not, it’s betray my family. You are not my family, you are not my Roman, and you never will be.”

Roman raised his sword to swing. Patton curled in on himself, trying to shield his body from Roman’s anger. He squeezed his eyes shut. The pounding of his heart blocked out all sound as his pulse roared in his ears.

ONE!

Two!

Three.

…

Four?

Shouldn’t Roman have swung by now?

Patton cracked an eye open. Roman’s body froze in mid swing. Patton blinked.

Did it work?

Patton’s eyes darted around the room. He caught sight of Logan and Virgil emerging from the crowd, but both of them looked just as shocked. When Patton turned his attention back to Roman, he noticed brown eyes staring back at him. Brown, wet, beautiful eyes that shook Patton’s whole body to the core.

“Roman?” he breathed out. Roman’s eyes studied him, and his lips ever so slightly quirked into a smile. It disappeared as soon as it came, and Roman took a step backward. The sword lowered to his side, and his gloves squeaked on the leather.

“I-” Roman’s voice shook as he spoke. He squeezed his eyes shut, and when he opened them again, they were red and gold. His anger flashed as his sword raised. Patton kept his eyes open and stared him down. As Roman lowered his attack, his muscles shook to a halt, the sword stopping inches from Patton’s neck. Roman’s eyes widened in shock. The sword clattered to the floor, and Roman wove his fingers through his hair.

“I-” Roman fell to his knees and almost pressed his forehead to the cool marble. Sweat soaked his brow, and he squeezed his eyes shut again. The brown irises returned, and Roman grit his teeth.

“I-” Roman tried again, but his whole body lurched into a gag. Black liquid leaked from his throat and stained the floor. Patton inched forward, his hand outstretched but hesitant.

“Roman?” he questioned. He wanted to pull Roman close. He wanted to squeeze him and let him know everything was going to be okay. He wanted that nightmare gone.

“Can’t-” Roman choked.

Patton caught Logan and Virgil inching closer, but he hoped they’d stay away. Maybe Patton couldn’t break the curse on Roman by removing the flower crown, but this was still Roman’s Imagination, and there were certain rules Roman’s Imagination had to follow. Apparently, the golden rule did still apply if Patton wasn't in his own body. The Nightmare may know it was a copy, but Roman didn’t. Roman saw Patton. And no one could hurt Patton in the Imagination.

Roman attacking him was the key Patton needed to unlock Roman’s freedom.

“It’s okay, kiddo,” Patton’s soft voice urged. “You can do it.”

“I can’t-” Roman answered.

“Yes, you can. You’re stronger than him.”

More black slime projected itself from Roman’s mouth, splattering across the floor. He blinked. His eyes were gold and red. He blinked again. His eyes were brown. His shoulders shook, and he tried to force himself to look up at Patton, but his arms trembled and lacked the strength.

Roman’s fingers released his hair and instead wrapped around the flower crown.

Patton’s heart pounded in his chest. “Yes, that’s it, Roman. You can do it.”

Roman’s grip slipped, but his hands returned to the golden and red petals. He shuddered, and his hands trembled.

“I can’t,” Roman choked out.

Patton reached out and placed his hands on Roman’s own. He leaned down until he was looking into deep brown eyes, and he put a smile on his face.

“Yes, you can. You’re so much stronger than you think you are. You can do this, Roman. I believe in you.”

Roman’s hands started to lift upward. Patton’s spirits raised with him. He held his breath. The flower’s magic crackled in the air, sending shards of light in every direction. Patton blinked back the spots in his eyes.

“You can’t,” Roman hissed out, his voice sounded disoriented. His arms started to lower the crown back on his head. “This is my game. I won.”

Patton’s heart raced. Roman couldn’t give up now. They were so close! Patton tried to help, but Roman’s strength outmatched his. He was losing him. Frustrated tears pricked Patton’s eyes, and he squeezed them shut.

A low laugh caught his attention, and Patton’s eyes snapped open.

“Wanna bet?” Roman asked, his normal voice strong with confidence. He yanked the crown from his head, and a magical pop cracked through the room. Patton shielded his vision from the flower’s light for the second time. When it dimmed, Roman held the flowers in his lap as his chest struggled for air. His eyes clenched shut, and his jaw shook with each breath.

“Roman?” Patton’s voice reached out with his hand, but he withdrew it. What if this was a trick? What if the nightmare managed to trap Roman without the crown?

Roman’s eyes opened and closed down all of Patton’s doubts. Beautiful brown eyes stared back at him, and Roman’s lips quirked into a smile.

“Hey there, padre,” Roman breathed out.

Patton let out a loud cry of relief, and he cradled his arms around Roman’s neck. Roman supported both their weights and wrapped his arms around Patton’s chest. He tried to ignore how cold Patton felt against his skin. Patton drew his head back and pressed their foreheads together.

“I knew you could do it,” Patton whispered.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” Roman replied. “You really were the key to winning the game.”

At some point, while the two of them were ignoring the rest of the room, Logan and Virgil made their way over to them.

“You know, I have some choice words for you both,” Virgil growled. His gaze softened, “But I’m too glad you’re both okay to remember them right now.”

“Aww, Virgil, I knew you cared,” Roman purred.

“You are both uninjured, are you not?” Logan asked. Roman turned to face Patton, who nodded in confirmation.

“Radiant and perfect as always,” Roman answered, raising his hands in the air.

“Yeah, he’s fine,” Virgil mumbled.

Roman glared down at the flower crown in his hands. Even from here, he could feel the Nightmare’s energy pulsing within its petals. Roman made a motion to snap the stems.

“No, don’t!” Patton cried out, making Roman jump. Patton bit his lip. “If you snap the rose's magic, you release the soul inside, and then the nightmare will get out again.”

“So, they’re the roses from the garden,” Roman mused. Patton nodded his head.

“Is that what happened to you?” Logan asked.

Patton bit down on his lip, and he nodded again. “I… I let it put my soul into the flowers, so you’d all be safe. It promised if I did what it said, you’d all be okay.”

Roman’s jaw hung open, and Patton could see a million questions on his mind, but he didn’t ask a thing.

“Well the nightmare’s gone now, so we can break the stupid curse on you, right?” Virgil grumbled and motioned to the crown on Patton’s head.

Patton let out a low chuckle. “I can’t take it off. Roman’s the only one who can.”

“Then allow me,” Roman replied and put his own crown on the ground. He rested his fingers on Patton’s crown and lifted. The color cloak disappeared with it, and Roman sucked in a breath. He didn’t expect a monochrome Patton underneath the flower’s magic. His voice came out in a long breath, “Patton, is that… are you... “

“This isn’t my real body,” the copy answered. “It’s a shadow puppet, one that he could easily control.” Anger and regret bubbled in Roman’s chest. Roman sighed, and he examined the blue and white floral prison in his hand. Patton gave a soft but sad smile. “I’m sorry, kiddo. I didn’t mean to cause so much trouble.”

“I forgive you,” Roman replied. He twisted the stems in his fingers.

“Oh, I should be in the dungeons when you break it,” Patton explained. Roman quirked a brow, but Virgil gave a light laugh.

“We know.”

Logan added, “And we’ll find you.”

Patton heaved a sigh of relief.

“You ready?” Roman asked. Patton nodded his head. Roman’s fingers pressed down on the flower crown’s stem, and with a loud crack, the crown snapped in half. Patton’s shadow wobbled then started to turn to dust. He sent one last reassuring smile before his body melted into ash and disappeared.

Roman let out a long breath. Was this it? Was that the final test? Was this all over now?

A hand rested on his shoulder, and he looked up to see Logan’s concerned eyes. Logan offered out a hand, and he pulled Roman onto his feet. Roman glared down at the gold and red crown on the ground, and he resisted the urge to stomp on it. Instead, he picked it up and placed it on his throne.

“I’ll deal with you later,” he growled. He turned back to Virgil and Logan and spoke, “Now, let’s go save Patton.”

The trio exited the ballroom and scaled the stairs to the dungeons. After unlocking the door and walking down the path, they found a very much in color and very much happy to see them Patton. Roman unlocked the cell. Patton joined them, and he hugged Roman properly. The warmth between them seemed to radiate into the Imagination.

“Can we go home now?” Virgil whined. “I’m all Imaginationlanded out.”

Roman chuckled and nodded his head. For the first time in weeks, he didn’t dread going home. He knew his family would be there for him, even if he messed up. Maybe they didn’t want him around all the time, but they definitely still needed him.

Roman turned his gaze to the rising sun, casting all their shadows together into one person. “Yes, let’s go home. I'm sure Thomas will want to know what we've all been doing.”

This was going to be a heck of a story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for sticking with me this long!
> 
> My goodness, it feels like forever since I started this. I finished a story since I posted this (which is why I had to go back and edit so much haha) and started a few in the meantime. I mean, it's not that I lost interest in this story, but there were certain challenges that arose between me starting and ending it, and now that they're resolved, I can happily resolve this story.
> 
> I'd like to thank each and every one of you, whether this is your first time reading through or your 10th, for reading, commenting, or just leaving kudos. They make my day. Truly they do!
> 
> I hope to see you again in the future! <3
> 
> -Cat

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr @altruistic-skittles if you wish


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